Secret Meetings
by Candywolf33
Summary: Ash and Blue Eyes have been extremely close since birth. But after exploring an abandoned treehouse and discovering an interesting book inside, their relationship evolves and sends them down a path they never expected. No one can know though, because getting caught could put an end to them forever; not only as mates, but as best friends too.
1. Prologue

Blue Eyes, at this moment in time, was acutely aware of many things going on around and happening to him. One of which was the near pitch black darkness of the small, wooden structure he was currently residing in; and it would be completely dark inside if not for the tiny holes littering the black cloth covering the windows.

Another was the hard, smooth floor grinding into his backside, almost uncomfortably so. This was especially true for the wood pressed against his shoulder blades and tailbone. But although moving wasn't an option right now, Blue Eyes wasn't complaining or attempting to shift into a more comfortable position. The not-quite-but-almost-painful sensation added to the overall experience and, in his opinion, enhanced it.

And speaking of sensations…

Another shudder ran through Blue Eyes' sweat-soaked body, originating between his legs and traveling throughout the rest of his quaking frame. And whether that was due to the stiff flesh sliding inside him with every forward thrust or coarse fur brushing against his own rock-hard erection, both worked to turn the prince into a writhing, moaning mess. Immediately afterwards another jolt comes, followed instantly by another. Then another, and another…

Blue Eyes tilted his head backwards, panting open-mouthed and grunting. His already clenched hands tighten even more around dark grey fur, a few shades lighter than his own coarse, black coat. The male above him let out a soft growl, though the young prince wasn't sure whether it was from the fur being pulled or his body tightening around his partner's length. Either way, he paid no mind and kept pulling anyway, trying to force the ape above to press more tightly against him.

The ape hissed at him, and this time Blue Eyes knew it was because of his fur pulling. Although reluctant to, he loosened his grip. The last time, when he refused to do so, the other actually stopped and refused to continue for several minutes. As a result Blue Eyes was left desperate, begging for relief, and with no other choice but to tease and plead until the other relented and gave the prince what he desired. They were only just starting then, but right now, when Blue Eyes was nearly ready for release, he couldn't bear the other stopping.

Letting out more breathy pants, he turns his head to the side and growled in his partner's ear, "Ash...H...H...Harder."

The other ape turned slightly to meet his mate's pale eyes with his leafy, green ones, filled to the brim with lust and desire. Panting in response to the surges of ecstasy running throughout his own body, he tried to keep a steady pace and, in turn, not release too early or have the prince growling at him for going to slow.

Ash knew Blue Eyes wanted sex to be rough and hard, enough so that he was slightly sore from the intense pounding afterward. He enjoyed this too (whether he was giving or receiving), however; he preferred to take his time and enjoy Blue Eyes' warm, tight body for as long as possible. And speaking of tight…

Ash's thrusting was falling out of rhythm now, thanks to the prince's slickened and narrow insides massaging his cock until he was throbbing and ready to lose control. For this reason, a moment passed before he could catch his breath enough to shakily grunt out, "Blue...Eyes...Close?"

Blue Eyes bared his gritted teeth, growling all the while. Ash knew damn well he was almost there; yet every time he's on top, he found it necessary to tease Blue Eyes like this. It amused him, and right now Ash is openly observing his mate's reaction with said amusement dancing in his eyes and on his mouth.

His smile grew when Blue Eyes pulled his lips back further. "Need...M...More...Now!" He growled, thrusting his hips against Ash for emphasis.

Before he could draw his next breath, Ash tightened his grip on Blue Eyes and rams into him with a newfound intensity. Anything else the prince might've said died in his throat. His body jerked in response and the overwhelmed ape's head banged on the floor. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, breathy pants turning into loud barks and harsh gasps as Ash's thrusts grow stronger and seize complete control of his body. Blue Eyes could barely breathe this way, but he knew it wouldn't last long. Ash wasn't far behind him, and would likely release at the same time.

Sure enough, it took less than ten seconds of Ash intensely pounding his sensitive insides before Blue Eyes couldn't take it anymore. He screeched and convulsed around his mate, hard enough that it triggered the other's release. He felt Ash slam against him one last time before stilling completely and pressing his pelvis flush against his body. The grey ape trembled, Blue Eyes' body kneading his cock while his seed spilled, and gripping his hips with nearly bruising strength. He could feel Blue Eyes gripping his fur tightly while he rode out his own orgasm, yet he ignored it and allowed the prince to do as he pleased.

Son their climaxes ceased and both males released their holds. Ash laid on top of Blue Eyes and buried his face against him whilst the prince rested his head against the floor and let his pounding heart slow. Eventually their trembling frames relaxed completely, though neither attempted to move. Instead both prefered to remain and enjoy the heat of each other's bodies with the scent of sex, sweat, and each other heavy in their nostrils. But, while Blue Eyes' fingers glide over Ash's back, he became increasingly aware of a sticky heat coating both of their bellies and grunted in discomfort. This part always made it uncomfortable to be pressed together like this after mating.

Apparently Ash felt the same way, because he released a similar grunt and attempted to pull away by rising on unsteady arms. However, Blue Eyes' legs, which had coiled around Ash's waist like a snake, kept him in place. The prince blinked in surprise and unhooked his limbs, allowing Ash to stand and move towards one of the windows. The young prince couldn't remember at what point he'd done that. When they started, he had his legs bent at the knees and spread wide apart to allow Ash full access to his lower half.

But then more light entered the room and fresh air was blowing across his face, something that was easily noticeable in the stifling, dark room, and Blue Eyes forgot about it completely. He rose slowly, as his back muscles were still sore and achy from the rough pounding he'd received, and knuckle walked towards the window Ash was occupying. When Blue Eyes took a seat beside his mate, close enough for the fur on their arms to brush together, he let out a sharp wince at the bolt of pain that traveled up his spine. Ash glanced at him, looking both alarmed and worried, but Blue Eyes smiled gently and responded before Ash could do anything.

"Is...Okay," he stated. Ash didn't seem convinced but, knowing the prince's stubborn nature, didn't argue. Instead he stuck his head out the window and tried to cool off while looking over the forest. Blue Eyes did the same and the two sat in silence. As he looks towards the sky, the prince noted the changing colors that come with the setting sun. Soon he and Ash will have to head for the river if they want to wash all evidence of their coupling away and return to the village with dry fur.

The young ape sighed irritably at the thought. He knows they both would much rather stay here and relax until morning, but both promised they would be back before the night arrived. And, if they wanted to keep their families from finding out about their secret activities and avoid the horrid wrath that was sure to follow, they would have to return to the village on time.

That would come later. Right now, Blue Eyes wanted to enjoy his remaining time with Ash while the aches in his backside (hopefully) subsided. As the minutes pass, his mind began to wander until he became lost in his memories. It takes him back to the beginning of the spring, when he and Ash were still so innocent and naive, completely unaware of what they would discover and all the fun they'd have from that point on. Blue Eyes smiled gently and reminisced about the time when he and Ash were still friends. Before long, the prince was reflecting on how the two came so far.


	2. Beginnings

That day, when Blue Eyes raced out of the colony with Ash close behind him, he had no reason to suspect anything overly exciting would happen. It was just like any other day they'd left. They would run around, chase each other, wrestle, and other things like that.

At least that's what the prince assumed, until they wandered further away from the colony than usual and stumbled upon a strange, wooden hut in the trees. And, since seeing something like that was one of the strangest parts of their eight year existence, Ash was immediately dragging Blue Eyes up the trunk to explore. Although the more cautious of the two, the young prince's curiosity won out over his hesitant instincts and he allowed his friend to lead him inside.

They entered through a large window on the side of the structure, quickly noticing a twin window on the opposite wall. There was very little inside, aside from another object in the corner with four legs, a thick slab of wood connecting them, and a small, shiny box beneath it. Overall the structure was more spacious than it looked from the outside, only slightly smaller than Ash's hut, and built entirely out of worn looking but smooth wood. Naturally the young apes were quickly drawn to the strange objects, especially the shiny box, and dragged it to the middle of the room for a more thorough examination.

The two looked upon it curiously, wondering what this thing was that reflected the light and cool the the touch. Eventually Ash grew tired of staring and picked the box up, placing it in his lap and attempting to open it. No such luck. He could partially open it, but there was another tiny object with numbers and a knob keeping the box closed. It refused to budge no matter how hard Ash, or Blue Eyes, pulled. Finally, the young prince grabbed and shook it out of frustration, but quickly set it down.

" _There's something inside,"_ he signed to Ash, still looking at the box. " _We have to open it. I want to know what's in there."_

Ash said nothing, but reached forward and poked at the lock again with a thoughtful expression on his face. Then, after a few moments had passed, he finally backed away.

" _Wait here,"_ he told Blue Eyes before leaving the way they came in. Once he was out of sight the prince went to the window, looking down at his friend. He was confused, especially since Ash appeared to be looking for something.

"What...Ash...Doing?" He called out. Ash didn't answer, but finally came back up after a minute of searching on the ground. Once he was close enough, Blue Eyes realized Ash had a rock in his hand.

"Ash?" He questioned, completely puzzled.

The dark grey chimp, still silent, went to the box and tilted it on its side, leaving the lock lying on the floor. Then, making sure he had a firm grip on the rock, finally looked towards his friend.

"Open," he said, before raising the rock and bringing it down on the lock. It didn't budge, so Ash smashed it a second time. Finally, after five times, he stopped and tried pulling the now badly dented lock away, but it still wouldn't give.

Blue Eyes, now very impatient, grabbed the rock and tried to break the lock himself. It took time, but after the lock had taken a lot of damage, the two managed to twist and tear it away from the box. Satisfied, Blue Eyes threw the troublesome thing out the window before turning to Ash again.

" _What are you waiting for, Blue Eyes? Open it!"_ He signed eagerly. Blue Eyes chuffed irritably before flipping the lid back and exposing the contents inside.

Although neither one really had any expectations for what they would find inside, this was just…

" _A waste of time,"_ Blue Eyes signed to Ash while glaring at the box, the previously excitable mood now gone.

" _All that work_ ," he continued, lifting it out of the box, " _For a stupid book."_

" _Not only the book, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash finally responded, offering his friend the second and last object in the box. " _Look at this."_

The young chimp held up a container, which had previously been hidden under the book. Small in size, it easily fit in Ash's hand. He handed it to Blue Eyes, who examined it with recurring interest. He set the book by his side before taking the lid off, easily removing it after only a few seconds of tinkering.

The substance inside was interesting to the two young apes. Whatever the stuff was, it was clear like water, but definitely something else. Curiously, both reached inside and scooped a little on their fingers, bringing it closer to their faces to examine it.

Ash sniffed at the stuff. " _It doesn't really smell like anything,"_ he signed, one handed. Blue Eyes took a whiff too, confirming what Ash said, before rubbing his fingertips together.

" _It's slippery,"_ he responded, shaking his head. " _It feels weird."_

Ash hooted in agreement and picked up the container again, screwing the lid back on and setting it in the box. Then he reached for the book again. Once he had it in his clean hand, the tried wiping the other on the floor, but most of the substance stayed stuck to his skin.

" _We'll have to wash this stuff off,"_ he signed offhandedly to Blue Eyes. " _It's sticky, like honey."_ His friend nodded, grunting in agitation as he tried to clean his own hand. Like Ash, most of it wouldn't come off.

Finally giving up, he turned his attention back to Ash, who was now looking at the book. The prince couldn't understand why he bothered. The front cover was just a simple picture of some hairless, human male. It didn't look that interesting, and the young ape quickly grew bored.

"Ash," he spoke out loud, gaining his friend's attention. " _Can we go now?"_

" _Wait. I want to look at the book."_

" _Why?"_ Blue Eyes signed back.

Ash just shrugged opened the book, studying the first image." _Why not? There's nothing else to do."_

" _We could go down to the river."_

" _We go there all the time,"_ Ash persisted, one eye on his friend and the other on the book. He kept flipping through it, ignoring Blue Eyes' protests until the other tried to pull the book from him. " _Just a few more pages,"_ he finally promised. The prince exhaled heavily, clearly annoyed, but quieted down. He watched Ash for a couple minutes, until the other let out a surprised hoot.

" _Look at this, Blue Eyes,"_ he signed, turning the book so the prince could see. Blue Eyes studied the picture, but quickly lost interest.

" _So?"_ He asked.

Ash snorted at his friend, turning the book back around. " _That was kind of interesting."_

" _What's interesting about that?"_

The grey chimp narrowed his eyes a bit. " _I just didn't know humans could be that dark. I thought they were all white."_

Blue Eyes let out another annoyed huff. " _Apes are different colors too,"_ he argued.

Ash, growing irritated as well, mimicked Blue Eyes' huff. " _At least it's something new. Unlike the river."_

" _New,"_ the prince agreed. " _But not interesting. It's only pictures of them. And they're not doing anything."_

Ash was going to respond until he turned another page. He froze at the sight of the image. " _These humans are doing something,"_ he signed, moving to Blue Eyes side and setting the book down in front of them. The prince sighed, irate, but went stiff when his gaze landed on two humans in a strange position with their lips touching.

Seeing those pale skinned males with their mouths pressed together like that was affecting Blue Eyes in ways he didn't understand. He knew they were kissing, as apes did the same with each other, although it was rare. He'd seen his own parents show affection like this once or twice, but they were always brief, as how it was with all the other apes he'd seen.

With these humans, however; the kiss seemed… deeper. And intense. Although he felt weird for thinking this, it seemed...nice. It certainly looked like the humans were having fun.

Blue Eyes looked over at Ash and wondered what he thought about this, but couldn't guess what his friend was thinking as his eyes were still staring at the picture with a guarded expression on his face. The prince hooted gently, just loud enough to get Ash's attention. It worked, as the dark grey chimp's head snapped up immediately and green eyes met the prince's blue ones. Now that he could see them, Blue Eyes easily detected confusion in Ash's leafy gaze.

The two sat there staring at each other for a while, completely unsure of what to do, until Ash broke their staring contest. He looked at the book, eyes roaming over the human males, then looked back at Blue Eyes. Then at the book, then back to his friend. He finally met the prince's pale gaze again, noticeably breathing heavier now. Clearly he was nervous.

" _Ash?"_ Blue Eyes asked, now becoming nervous himself. " _Are you okay?"_

Ash didn't respond though, just stared at the prince, which made him worried. He tried again, out loud this time. "Ash?"

The sound of his scratchy voice seemed to break Ash out of his trance. He finally blinked, then let out a deep sigh before lifting his hands to sign, " _What do you think of them?"_

" _The humans?"_ Blue Eyes questioned, to which Ash hesitantly nodded. " _I don't know."_

" _Me either,"_ Ash responded, then continued. " _Have you seen two males...Doing that before?"_

Blue Eyes froze, momentarily surprised. " _No,"_ he finally responded. " _I've seen apes but they were always male and female. And they never…"_ He trailed off, unsure of what to say. " _Never kiss like that,"_ he finally said.

His friend nodded, then looked back towards the book. Blue Eyes followed and studied the two human males locked in such a peculiar embrace.

'Strange,' the prince thought. 'But...I think I want to…'

"Blue...Eyes?" The prince's attention immediately turns back to Ash upon hearing his name. The other fidgets momentarily, but finally looks straight into his eyes.

" _Do you...Like it?"_

The young ape's eyes widened in shock. Completely frozen on the spot, he couldn't do anything. Seconds pass and he still stood there, staring at his lifetime friend.

"I…" he stutters, still trying to think of what to say.

Yes?

No?

Maybe?

But Blue Eyes knew he'd be lying if he said anything but 'yes'. So he took a deep breath to calm his frazzled nerves, hoping Ash wouldn't feel weird about this.

"I...Do." He made himself look directly at Ash, waiting for his response. When the two made eye contact again, Blue Eyes expected his friend to look at him strangely or with revulsion, however; Ash was smiling gently and he seemed relieved.

"I do...Too."

Immediately, the young prince felt an overbearing pressure inside his chest disappear. A few seconds passed before he smiled back at his friend.

" _I am glad to hear that."_

Ash nods. " _I thought you were mad at me for asking that."_

" _I'm not, but…"_ Blue Eyes sighed. " _I don't know if I should like this. I feel funny."_

" _Funny how?"_

" _I feel…"_ he paused, trying to think of the right word. " _Warm. Everywhere."_

" _I feel that too,"_ Ash responded. " _But I feel it here mostly,"_ he finished, placing his hand over the lower part of his belly.

Now that Blue Eyes thought about it, the warmth seemed strongest there too, and he placed his hand over the area in thought. Silence prevailed for a short time as both chimps sat there.

" _It looks like fun,"_ the prince suddenly began. " _Yes?"_

Ash nodded. " _It does."_ He paused again, seemingly deciding what to do next. Seconds passed, and Ash started looking between Blue Eyes and the book again.

"Ash?" The prince spoke out loud. "What?"

The dark grey chimp sighed, looking nervous all over again. Finally, Ash signed, almost too quick for Blue Eyes to understand, " _Do you want to try it?"_

Just like that, the young prince was frozen again. Should they? Apes didn't kiss like those humans were. And, from Blue Eyes' understanding, the action was done between mates to show affection. He and Ash certainly weren't mates, or in love. At least that's what he'd always thought, until this confusing day. Besides, in love or not, their families wouldn't believe either of them were mature enough to have partners of their own yet.

But...those humans made it look like fun. And Blue Eyes was extremely curious. Maybe as long as no one found out about it…

" _Promise me,"_ Blue Eyes suddenly signed. " _That you won't tell anyone about this. No one."_

" _I promise,"_ Ash swore without hesitation, meeting his prince's eyes. " _What happens stays between us."_

Blue Eyes swallowed, still feeling overly anxious, but his curiosity won out in the end.

"Okay," he spoke, feeling that warmth growing stronger inside him. "Come here."

Ash obliged and moved forward, settling before Blue Eyes on his knees. Their eyes locked momentarily before turning back towards the book, trying to figure out what to do. In the picture, the two males had their arms wrapped around one another with their bodies pressed firmly together, along with their mouths.

Blue Eyes decided to start there, and reached forward to hook his arms around Ash's body. The other chimp startled, as he'd been looking at the book and didn't expect to be touched. However, he quickly figured out what the prince was doing and wrapped his arms around Blue Eyes as well, gently pulling the other a little closer in the process.

Now, with their bodies pressed together, Blue Eyes made the next move and pressed his forehead against Ash's. The gesture was familiar to him, and calmed him a little. He'd been this close with his mother and father as a child. Ash too, although any physical contact was brief and rarely occurred. It felt strange to be so close for this long.

"Ready?" Ash asked him gently, pulling him from his thoughts. Blue Eyes nodded in response, closing his eyes in the process. He could feel the skin on their foreheads rub together while Ash shifted his head to the side, his warm breath ghosting over Blue Eyes mouth just before their rough lips finally met.

Both young apes froze, barely breathing while trying to process what was happening. For the prince, the pressure against his lips was strange, but not unpleasant. Or unwelcome. Just confusing to him, especially as that warmth from earlier grew stronger. At that moment, he remained still and simply let the pleasant sensation wash over him; until he felt Ash's hand on the back of his head and his mouth beginning to press tighter against his own.

Finally snapping out of his frozen state, Blue Eyes imitated his friend, letting one arm coil around Ash's neck while trying to pull him closer. With their lips locked in a crushing embrace, Blue Eyes blissfully sighed against Ash's mouth. Then, when he thought the surprises were finished, he felt his friend's lips moving against his own.

Although the action was unexpected, the prince was quickly following Ash's lead. He raised his hand and placed it on his friend's cheek, hooking his fingers under the jawbone and closing any remaining distance between the two. This went on for some time, with both apes enjoying the sensation of their rough lips moving together, until Ash gently broke their lip lock.

The dark grey chimp pulled away from the young prince. Blue Eyes allowed him to go, letting his arms drop back down to rest at his sides. Their eyes met, and the sky-eyed chimp nearly recoiled at the newfound look in his friend's eyes. So intense, and very unfamiliar. He hardly recognized Ash right now.

" _Are you okay?"_ He suddenly signed.

Ash cocked his head, surprised by the question, but nodded once. " _Yes."_ He responded, pausing momentarily. " _At least I think so. I feel...warmer now."_

Blue Eyes swallowed. He was getting warmer too, and it certainly wasn't from the spring temperature outside. " _Did you enjoy it?"_

A small smile played on Ash's mouth. " _Yes. Did you?"_

The young prince only nodded. He would've responded out loud, but this warmth was quickly becoming stronger after that kiss. And, with Ash looking at him like that, it was only gaining strength. Blue Eyes felt like he should be concerned about this...but he wasn't. It felt nice, so, he asked himself, why should he fight it? And if Ash was experiencing similar emotions…

The blue-eyed chimp gulped again, but moved towards Ash anyway and settled down in front of him. With his mind made up, he lifted his hands to sign.

" _If we both like it, maybe we should keep going."_

" _Keep going?"_ Ash asked, the burning in his eyes becoming more prominent. " _You mean...Kiss again?"_

" _Yes. If you want to…"_ he trailed off, meeting his friend's eyes again. At least, he noticed, that look from earlier hadn't gone away. Ash hooted affirmatively and leaned forward, cupping the back of the prince's head. Blue Eyes met him halfway, and let his arms coil around his friend before pressing their mouths together again.

Neither were hesitant like last time, and instead picked up where they'd left off. Blue Eyes hand quickly found its former place against Ash's face, causing the young ape to shiver slightly as heat from the prince's rough, burning palm soaked into his cheek.

He moved in sync with his friend, even as Blue Eyes grew bolder and increased the pace. Then, while the other tugged Ash closer so their bodies pressed together, the dark grey chimp noticed warmth pooling in his stomach. It eventually spread, until his entire body was humming with energy. Ash couldn't put a name to it, but he knew one thing for sure; he didn't want to stop.

Unfortunately for him, Blue Eyes chose this time to break their lip lock and pull away. Ash whined in protest, but the prince silenced it with a hand on his chest.

" _If the book taught us this,"_ he began, sky eyes blazing in a way Ash had never seen before. " _It could teach us other things. Maybe something better."_

Ash blinked in surprise, but nodded eagerly. If that book had something else they could try, he certainly wanted to know about it. With that decided, Ash reached past Blue Eyes to pull the thin book beside them and turn the pages. Both chimps looked on, wondering what other fun and/or strange human customs they would uncover.

But, despite their hopes, the next few pages weren't that exciting. They were similar to the first with the males being pictured in different positions. Aside from that, the only big differences consisted of more skin showing each time Ash turned a page. And, in some of the images, the male's mouths were open and their tongues could be seen coiled together between them.

After seeing that, Ash immediately wanted to try it, but Blue Eyes insisted on looking through more of the book first. Ash argued, obviously, but eventually allowed the prince to have his way. Soon, after glancing over another image of two males kissing, he was beginning to get agitated. He didn't want to sit there anymore and keep flipping through the stupid thing. It was a waste of time, and clearly wouldn't have anything else to show them.

Cursing his friend's stubbornness, Ash turned to the next page, and completely froze


	3. First Time

Ash's mouth dropped open, completely unable to believe what his eyes were seeing.

Up until now, the humans had been covered up (at least a little bit), but now they were completely naked. And, if it wasn't jarring enough to see such an utterly bare human, one of them had their head between the other's legs with their...cock...in his mouth.

Although he almost missed it, he could feel a powerful heat settling between his legs as he stared at the two. Due to shock, he might've stayed there for a long time if he hadn't felt Blue Eyes, who was pressed against his side, quickly pull away.

The dark grey chimp let out a pant-hoot in surprise, then a louder one to get his friend's attention. Yet Blue Eyes didn't appear to have heard, and remained at the other side of the room. Next, Ash tried calling out his name, but the prince still wouldn't turn around. Finally, out of concern, he approached Blue Eyes and laid a hand on his shoulder.

The young prince let out a surprised shriek and whirled around. Ash, who was startled by Blue Eyes' shriek, let out his own in response. For a moment the two sat there, letting their pounding hearts slow down, until the prince turned away. Undeterred by his behavior, Ash reached out and touched him again.

"Blue Eyes?" he spoke out loud, feeling the taunt muscles beneath his hand tense even more at the sound.

"Go...Away...Ash," the prince responded, voice strained in a way the dark grey chimp had never heard before. He moved to his knees by Blue Eyes' side, trying to see his face, but the other turned his head away. And, as Ash looked him over, he noticed how Blue Eyes had his hands settled firmly over the area between his legs.

Suddenly, all at once, everything clicked. Ash understood what was wrong with his friend, and, before he could stop them, his next words were forming on his lips.

"You feel. It there. Too?"

The young prince, who originally hoped Ash would listen to him, finally turned towards his friend with a bewildered look on his face.

"Feel what?" He questioned, sky-eyes guarded and unsure.

" _Warm,"_ Ash responded, switching back to sign. " _Really warm. Between your legs."_

Blue Eyes only stared at first, but finally nodded. Ash attempted to meet his eyes, but he looked down to avoid it. However, he noticed something light colored peeking out from Ash's dark fur.

Once he realized what it was, his sky colored gaze shot back up out of embarrassment, where they finally met Ash's green eyes. The young prince froze, but his friend refused to do anything. Instead he waited for Blue Eyes to make the next move. Eventually, the he hooted in defeat and took his hands out of his lap.

" _I'm out too,"_ he signed, glancing down in shame. At the edge of his vision he could see his own erection, completely exposed and stiffer than it'd been in a long time. He stayed like that until Ash grunted to get his attention.

" _Should we go back to the village?"_ Ash asked.

Blue Eyes visibly stiffened. " _Go back to the village!?"_ He signed in return, hands moving almost too fast to interpret in his panicked state. " _You think it's a good idea to go back like this!?"_

Ash recoiled slightly at the sharpness of his signs and the intense look in his icy eyes, the light from the late afternoon sun only making them stand out more. " _I'm sorry,"_ he signed once he'd regained his wits." _Do you want me to leave you alone, so you can take care of it?"_

" _I…"_ The young prince stopped, mind completely blank. He'd wanted Ash to leave before, but now that he knew the other felt this way too, he didn't know what he wanted.

" _Or maybe,"_ Ash continued, glancing towards the book, still laying at the other side of the room where they'd left it. " _Something else?"_

Blue Eyes let out a heavy breath. He knew what Ash was asking, but hesitated to give an answer. Their parents finding out wasn't the problem, as a quick trip to the river and a promise of silence would take care of that. But would he be alright with Ash...Touching him like that? Or returning the favor if he allowed it?

"Blue Eyes?" Ash suddenly spoke, tearing the prince from his thoughts.

" _I promise not to say anything,"_ he began. " _I swear."_

" _I'm not worried about that, Ash. I...I'm not sure if I can…"_

" _It's okay,"_ Ash interrupted. " _I won't make you do anything. If you change your mind or...Decide you don't want to touch me...I won't get mad."_

" _You'd be fine?"_ Blue Eyes questioned. " _If I don't...Touch you too?"_

Ash nodded, smiling gently. " _I'm your friend, Blue Eyes. I wouldn't make you do something like that."_

The young prince let out another heavy breath, taking a few seconds to decide, but finally smiled in return. " _Okay. Let's try it."_

The dark grey chimp's smile grew and he nodded once. Then, while Blue Eyes moved to sit with his back against the wall, Ash retrieved the book brought it back with him. He settled down beside his friend and began flipping through the pictures again.

" _I want to know what to do,"_ Ash explained.

" _I know,"_ the prince responded then focused his attention on the book, determined to learn too. If Ash was really going to do this then, despite his worries, he would return the favor. He'd feel guilty if he didn't.

After studying a few pictures, Ash finally turned back to him. " _Do you think we...Do anything after we put...it...in our mouths?"_

The young ape's eyes narrowed in thought before he reached over to pull the book closer. " _Maybe,"_ he responded after studying the human's positions in the pictures. " _I think...We move our heads,"_ He turned to met Ash's gaze. " _Up and down,"_ Blue Eyes finished while mimicking the motion with his hand. Then he turned another page, eyes widening at the image. " _And I guess we use our tongues too,"_ he quickly added, growing warmer at the thought of Ash's tongue on his sensitive flesh. Ash studied the new picture for a moment before taking the book from Blue Eyes and setting it aside.

" _Okay. I think I'm ready now. Are you?"_

The prince could feel anxiety and uncertainty turning in his stomach, but so was heavy anticipation and lust. Not to mention that he was throbbing now. " _Yes,"_ he signed, trying not to let any fear show. " _Go ahead."_

Ash let out a heavy breath and, to Blue Eyes' surprise, leaned forward to press their mouths together first. Though unexpected, the young prince reacted positively and embraced him. Sighing contently as he deepened the kiss, Blue Eyes relaxed and allowed Ash to press him further against the wall. Soon after, when he felt his friend's tougne run across his lips, he opened his mouth to meet Ash's advances with his own.

By now Blue Eyes hardly cared whether or not he should be doing any of this. It felt too good to stop. And, despite his earlier hesitation, he only wanted Ash to get on with it. Besides, if kissing felt this good, then he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have his friend's mouth pressed against other parts of his body…

The young prince gasped harshly, although muffled, as Ash deepened the kiss and pressed their bodies even closer. In response, Blue Eyes griped the fur on the back of Ash's head and pulled, ignoring his friend's irritated growl. He could feel himself panting heavily, especially as Ash's tongue began to brush against his. But he still managed to match his friend's movements, stroke for stroke, even as their tongues coiled and danced between them.

Blue Eyes broke the kiss, breathing labored and heavy. He brought his hands to the sides of Ash's head, the touch prompting the dark grey chimp to open his eyes and met his friend's cyan gaze.

"A...Ash. P..Please," Blue Eyes begged, his gasping breath preventing him from speaking clearly. He was rock hard and throbbing so heavily it was almost painful. He wanted, no, _needed_ release. Now. Even without being told, Ash understood, and brought their foreheads together one last time before lowering his body to the floor between Blue Eyes' legs.

Looking down at his friend, he watched as Ash studied his erection before he leaned in closer. The young prince waited tensely, thinking Ash was going to do it, but let out a frustrated groan and shuddered when the other only let his warm breath slide across the overly sensitive organ. Blue Eyes snarled as the pressure built and Ash remained still.

"Ash!" He barked, growing extremely agitated at his friend's teasing. "Please...Now!"

Ash chuckled, and Blue Eyes nearly hissed when more warmth washed over his throbbing appendage. But, one moment later, when he felt wet heat replace Ash's breath, he shrieked.

Blue Eyes' body trembled as Ash's burning mouth steadily swallowed more of his cock. Starting at the tip, his head lowered until he was halfway down the shaft. The prince felt him pause there momentarily before pressing forward. Finally, when Ash had all but a few inches in his mouth, he wouldn't go any further and stopped again.

Blue Eyes could barely breathe, the feeling of Ash's mouth and throat working around him proving nearly too much for the young ape. After a few moments of adjusting, Ash began to move his head, and something in the overwhelmed prince snapped. He gripped the fur on Ash's skull and tried to force him to swallow more, but instead he grabbed Blue Eyes' hands and pinned them to the floor.

Ash bobbed his head slowly at first, but his movements began to get faster while his lips massaged the throbbing cock, eventually taking all of Blue Eyes into his mouth every time he descended. As a result, the young prince was shivering as spasms wracked his entire body, gasping becoming more frequent while the twitching in his hips increased. Soon after, he felt Ash's' slimy, hot tongue run over his length, teasing the stiff flesh and licking along the shaft while his head moved.

He was close, was all Blue Eyes could think as Ash continued to pleasure him. He could feel it, and knew it wouldn't be much longer before the stimulation became too much, especially since the pressure of Ash's tongue was increasing. Finally he ran it along Blue Eyes' length one more time before his head stilled, and Ash began licking and sucking fiercely with every inch in his mouth.

The young prince's eyes rolled into the back of his head, back arching to its limits, every single muscle tense enough to snap. His head slammed against the wall and his gasping mouth stretched further open, trying to form coherent words to warn his friend, but couldn't.

'Don't stop. Don't stop. Don't stop! Don't stop!' The words slammed through Blue Eyes head at an alarming rate, his heart throbbing as hard as his cock. Just another second. He was almost there...

'DON'T STOP!'

Blue Eyes' entire body spasmed as he released, and he let out an ape version of a scream.

Currently occupied with his climax taking over his body, Blue Eyes didn't notice Ash pulling away from him. He could only focus on the ecstasy running wild through his veins, ravaging his body until he was sliding down the wall, legs spread wide and bleary eyes unfocused. Completely and utterly spent.

The young ape panted in the aftermath of his orgasm, trying to allow his body and racing heart to rest. It took time, as all his muscles were unresponsive and his throat was hoarse from shrieking, but Blue Eyes was finally able regain focus again. Eventually, as he calmed, he realized Ash was no longer between his thighs and rose on his elbows to look for him.

He located him a few feet away, coughing fiercely and wiping cloudy, white fluid from his lips. Blue Eyes realized what happened and let out an embarrassed hoot. Ash looked towards him at the sound, and the young prince shot him an embarrassed, apologetic smile in return.

" _I'm sorry,"_ Blue Eyes signed, drawing circles on the middle of his chest with a finger before jumping to his next sign. " _I should've warned you."_

Ash gave him a dirty look and wiped his mouth one more time with the back of his hand. At first he kept glaring, but eventually relented under Blue Eyes' pleading stare.

" _It's fine,"_ he finally said, letting out a defeated chuff. " _I guess we all make mistakes."_

Blue Eyes, despite still feeling shaky, chuckled slightly. " _Now you sound like Maurice."_

Ash couldn't help but chuckle too. " _I do?"_ He asked, shaking his head in exasperation. " _That's not good."_

The young prince laughed at Ash's statement, the other eventually joining in. The two spent the next few seconds laughing at their old teacher's expense, but eventually settled down. All was well again.

Until Blue Eyes realized it was his turn to get down on his belly. He swallowed nervously.

"Blue Eyes...Ready?" Ash asked, pulling the young prince from his thoughts.

"Yes," he responded, with far more confidence then he felt. Nevertheless he followed Ash to the other side of the room, careful to avoid the small puddles of fluid on the floor. He waited until Ash finished situating himself before approaching, trying to push the growing anxiety in his stomach away.

Ash smiled gently and set his hand on the prince's shoulder. " _It's not that bad. I promise."_ He paused for a moment. " _Unless I decide not to warn you,"_ he added, laughing at Blue Eyes horrified expression. " _Everyone makes mistakes, you know."_

" _Do you want me to pleasure you or not?"_ The young prince signed angrily.

" _Yes."_

" _Then stop talking!"_

Ash chuckled a bit more, but lowered his hands and heeded to Blue Eyes command. He glared at Ash but finally looked down at his friend's stiff length, swallowing thickly as nervousness pooled in his gut again.

"Blue Eyes?" The other said, gaining the prince's attention.

" _I was just joking,"_ he signed. " _I'll touch your shoulder when I'm close. I promise."_

Blue Eyes exhaled, relieved, and nodded. He signed a quick 'thank you' and, like Ash had done earlier, pressed their foreheads together before lowering himself to the floor.

Now, up close and lying between Ash's legs, Blue Eyes was able to get a better look at his cock. Pale compared to his dark grey fur, the entire thing was thicker than the young prince anticipated. He certainly wouldn't have an easy time fitting it in his mouth, but Ash had managed just fine earlier. And, easy time or not, Blue Eyes was determined to do it anyway. With that thought in mind, despite being unsure, he parted his lips and took the head into his mouth.

Immediately he heard Ash's head bang against the wall, followed by shaky grunts and panting noises. Blue Eyes ignored it however, and focused on sliding more of his friend's shaft into his mouth. Doing his best to relax and ignore the discomfort, especially once the tip was sliding down his throat, he persisted until he reached the base. Once there, he finally stopped to adjust while forcing down any impulse to choke or gag.

His nostrils flared as he rested there, drawing in air. Now that he was still, he could feel his friend shaking and realized the noise he was making had gotten louder. If he could smile, he would have. But instead, ignoring his already aching jaw, he pressed his lips together and began to suck on the twitching flesh, causing Ash's mere shaking to evolve into heavy shuddering. Blue Eyes inhaled and, with his friend's musk thick in his nose, he ascended, dragging his tongue along the underside of Ash's cock.

Using his saliva as lubrication, Blue Eyes began bobbing his head while lapping at Ash's sensitive flesh, slowly at first but picking up the pace as his throat and mouth accommodated to the stiff rod forcing them open. His suckling became more frequent too, and the sounds it made mixed with Ash's desperate and needy groans.

Suddenly Ash's hand landed on his shoulder, digging his fingers in and gripping the fur there painfully tight. The unexpected touch startled a distracted Blue Eyes but, remembering Ash's words from earlier, he dragged his mouth upwards one last time. Leaving half of his friend's cock in his mouth, he massaged it with his lips and tongue while his hand firmly stroked the rest.

Not five seconds later Ash threw his head back, hollering at the top of his lungs while hot liquid filled Blue Eyes' mouth. The young ape stilled completely but didn't pull away, allowing Ash's release to accumulate behind his lips. Thankfully though, just as Blue Eyes thought he couldn't take anymore, Ash's cock stopped throbbing and the flowing liquid ceased.

The young prince waited a few seconds, just to make sure Ash was finished, before finally pulling his mouth off the softening appendage. He kept his lips sealed tight and watched Ash for a moment; gasping, breathless, and recovering from the intense pleasure. It was amusing sight, the usually prideful ape left dazed and rapidly blinking. If not for his full mouth, Blue Eyes certainly would have laughed. He observed his friend for a moment longer before going over to the window and spitting everything out. He spat a few times, but eventually gave up when the salty taste remained. Once he'd wiped and cleaned his mouth out as good as he could, he went back to Ash and sat beside him.

The dark grey chimp had mostly gotten his breathing under control, and aimed a teasing look at the prince. " _See, Blue Eyes? Nothing to be scared off,"_ he signed, smiling playfully at his friend while panting slightly.

" _Shut up, Ash. I wasn't scared,"_ Blue Eyes responded.

Ash rolled his eyes. " _Sure, Blue Eyes. I'll believe that."_

" _I was nervous, not scared. There's a difference,"_ the prince argued. " _And don't act like you weren't nervous too."_

" _I wasn't!"_

Blue eyes only gave Ash an unconvinced look. Sure, maybe he didn't really show any outward signs of it, but Blue Eyes had known Ash long enough to see past his outward actions. His friend's usually lighthearted and joking personality replaced by a more serious one told a different story than Ash would have the prince believe.

" _We both were,"_ Blue Eyes declared. He could tell Ash still wasn't convinced, too proud to admit the truth, but he didn't argue any further and the two sat in silence.

With their playful banter over with, both were left to their own private thoughts. The dark grey chimp looked towards the window, a thoughtful expression on his speckled face. The young prince however, mulled over everything he and Ash had done with a troubled gleam in his icy eyes.

What they'd done to each other, although fun and interesting, would easily spell disastrous consequences for both of them if anyone found out. Not only had they overstepped the bounds of their friendship, but they went against everything they'd been taught about waiting until they had official mates before engaging in sex. (Not that this was the type of sex their parents were talking about, but still…) Blue Eyes expected to feel ashamed with himself for defying his family in this way, or at least disturbed about what he'd just done to Ash. But, like when they'd kissed, he felt nothing of the sort.

Not only that, but Blue Eyes knew he'd be willing to do this again if Ash asked, no matter how much he tried to tell himself otherwise. But, since there was no going back now, what would this mean for them?

"Ash?" Blue Eyes whispered in his raspy voice, finally having enough of the silence. The other looked towards him and cocked his head slightly, waiting patiently.

" _Are we,"_ he started, trying to choose his words carefully. But this was so confusing to the young ape. " _Something else now?"_ he finally finished.

Ash narrowed his eyes, confused. " _What do you mean?"_

" _Are we still friends?"_

His friend blinked, clearly surprised, but quickly huffed as if the answer was obvious. " _Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?"_

" _Because friends don't do what we just did. Right?"_

Ash pondered this for a moment. Silence reigned for a short time, but then he chuckled slightly. " _I think you're worrying too much."_

Before Blue Eyes could respond, Ash continued. " _Does it really matter what we are? We both wanted it, we both had fun, and neither of us were hurt."_ He paused, letting Blue Eyes digest this. " _I know what our families would say, but I see nothing wrong with what we did."_

Though unsure at first, Blue Eyes could feel himself becoming convinced as Ash finished his explanation. He was right after all, no harm done.

" _So, do you want to do this again sometime?"_

Ash grinned, nodding his consent. " _I hoped you would ask that."_

Blue Eyes grinned back, already becoming excited about future times. The two spent the next few minutes making arrangements, deciding they would come back and have their fun when they left the colony. The place was remote, hidden, and would likely remain undiscovered. And, as the two looked around at their new hideout, maybe they would be able to improve it a little. With his friend focused elsewhere, Blue Eyes' attention was fixed on the windows, wondering if they could find something to cover them with, when Ash suddenly tapped him on the shoulder.

" _We still haven't looked though the whole book yet,"_ he started, glancing at the object's location suggestively. " _There might be more to learn."_

Blue Eyes smirked as a response and nodded eagerly. He could already feel himself hardening again at the thought, the perks of being young and all. And, even if they found nothing, they could just use their mouths again.

But to the prince's shock, once again, they did discover something interesting. After retrieving the book and flipping through more pictures of males sucking each other off, they came across one with a male being mounted by another male.

Left speechless again, for the third time that day, both young apes stared at the image. Clearly these humans harbored plenty of...intriguing surprises. Though, for Blue Eyes, pleasurable might have been a better word to describe it as his eyes hungrily roamed over the sight before him.

He keenly studied their facial expressions, both caught up in the through of ecstasy, the one on the bottom even more so with his mouth wide open as if gasping for air. It boggled the prince's mind; he'd originally thought that was only possible between males and females. Apparently males could be mounted too.

Ash recaptured Blue Eyes' attention with a soft hoot, waiting until the prince's eyes were on him before he signed. " _What do you think? Should we try?"_

The prince only hesitated for a moment before nodding. Then, remembering Ash's comments about him being scared, Blue Eyes made an offer.

"I. Go first. This time," he spoke, fierce determination shining in his eyes.

Ash seemed a little shocked, but smiled approvingly before glancing out the window. The sun was a lot lower than when they'd left the colony, but they still had plenty of time before sunset.

Blue Eyes quietly gulped when Ash wasn't looking, trying to swallow his nerves. When his friend turned back around, the prince forced any doubt away and gave Ash an excited grin. He did his best to maintain that face as he turned around, lowering his body and positioning himself on his knees and elbows. Soon, after a moment of hesitation, the young male spread his legs apart, feeling strange as he did it.

He stayed in that position and waited, listening to Ash move around behind him. A moment later, the grey chimp's legs brushed the inside of the prince's and his hands were gently gripping Blue Eyes' sides. The young prince tried to stay relaxed, even as Ash's warm body pressed firmly against his backside. Now, in a pose neither ever pictured themselves being in, both remained while trying to get used to the bizarre position.

"This strange," Ash remarked after a long stretch of silence between the two.

Blue Eyes looked over his shoulder, meeting leafy eyes and a concerned face. He resisted the urge to submit under his friend's worried gaze, even though his nerves were building fast and wreaking havoc in his stomach. Blue Eyes wanted reassurance from his friend, desperately, but still tried to hide any hesitation by turning back around.

"Strange," he simply agreed, not knowing what else to say. Despite his best efforts, he finally did tense and gasp softly when he felt Ash's cock press against his entrance. And, unfortunately for him, his friend noticed.

Blue Eyes waited, almost expecting Ash to tease him again. But instead he felt his friend's chest and stomach against his back, and Ash's warm breath stirring his fur as he nuzzled the back of his neck.

"Relax. Blue Eyes. I not. Hurt you," he promised, slightly pulling back when the prince turned towards him to press their foreheads together. With their breaths mixing and Ash's warmth surrounding him, Blue Eyes was able to relax slightly. Although still hesitant, the young prince wasn't willing to back down.

"Be slow. Gentle," he told Ash.

His friend nodded. "Anything. You want," he promised. Blue Eyes pulled his head away and turned back around, feeling more reassured and confident now.

"Ready?" he heard Ash ask, to which he only nodded. Then, he felt Ash running one hand over the back of his thigh, trying to calm him further.

"Relax. Blue Eyes," Ash repeated. Blue Eyes compiled as well as he was able. Trusting that his friend wouldn't hurt him, he adjusted his position slightly and allowed Ash to press against his entrance.

The young prince's first instinct was to tense again when he felt Ash penetrate him. The feeling of it was so strange, easily bordering on uncomfortable, and he wasn't sure if he enjoyed it. Ash did go slow, but as he started to gently thrust back and forth, the feeling evolved from extreme discomfort to burning pain, enough so that the prince's blue eyes quickly became shiny with tears.

And still, Ash continued to go deeper.

Blue Eyes tried to keep quiet, even going as far as to bite his lip, but let out a loud yelp when he couldn't take the pain anymore. Ash immediately froze.

"Blue Eyes. Okay?" He asked, sounding panicked.

It took Blue Eyes a moment to respond, but he finally whimpered out, "S...Stop. Can. Not. Take it."

Unfortunately for him, Ash pulled back rather quickly, and Blue Eyes let out another pain filled yelp, feeling tears spilling from his now tightly closed eyes. Once Ash had pulled out completely, Blue Eyes collapsed, gently whimpering in pain.

He pressed his forehead into the floor, refusing to look up. He could hear Ash, who was letting out concerned pant-hoots, move in front of him. Then his hands were on the sides of Blue Eyes' head, gently trying to lift him up. The prince refused to move however, not wanting Ash to see his pain filled face, and forced his body to press more tightly against the wooden floor.

Eventually Ash gave up and moved one hand to Blue Eyes' shoulder, rubbing in a circular motion while the prince calmed down. But, even as the tears dried, the young ape still remained. Though the salty liquid was gone from his eyes, Blue Eyes could still feel a burning throb in his backside. It was slowly going away, but he feared the pain would increase if he moved. And, he didn't want Ash to see him this way.

"Blue Eyes?" Ash whispered, slowing his shoulder rubbing as he spoke. The prince sighed, but finally relented and slowly lifted his head to meet his friend's eyes, hoping the movement wouldn't agitate anything.

"Is fine. Not bad."

Ash only gave him an unconvinced look and shook his head, dismissing his friend's obvious lie. Blue Eyes huffed, angry at himself for making his pain so obvious, and attempted to rise to his knees. Ash hooted worriedly and tried to gently hold him down, but the prince brushed him off. Eventually he made it, lifting his head and huffing dismissively at his friend's concerned look. As a response Ash growled slightly, startling the prince as he hadn't expected that kind of behavior.

" _Would you stop being so stubborn?!"_ the dark grey chimp exploded, now glaring at his friend. " _And stop looking at me like that. I know you're in pain."_

" _I told you it isn't that bad,"_ Blue Eyes retorted, scowling when Ash's green eyes grew more furious.

" _Yes it is! Stop trying to act tough and admit it!"_

" _There's nothing to admit, Ash!"_

" _Yes there…"_ Ash started, but stopped signing. Blue Eyes watched with narrowed eyes, waiting for the argument to continue, but was greatly surprised when the other exhaled heavily and dropped his head instead.

" _I don't want to fight,"_ Ash eventually continued. He lifted his gaze, meeting the prince's eyes. Now, instead of anger, there was only worry and fear. " _I'm just worried about you, Blue Eyes,"_ he went on. " _What if something's wrong? What if you need to see the obas? What if…"_

"Ash!" Blue Eyes interrupted, cutting off his friend's rambling.

" _Okay. You're right,"_ he hurriedly signed, before Ash could snap at him. " _It does hurt. A lot. But I don't need help."_ He smiled gently. " _You'll see. It'll go away soon."_

" _Are you sure?"_ Ash signed, taking a hesitant step towards the prince.

" _I'm sure,"_ Blue Eyes promised. Seeing Ash's nervousness, he beckoned the other forward.

Ash closed the gap between them before the sky eyed prince could blink, pressing their foreheads together and wrapping his arms around his friend. Blue Eyes copied the gesture and held Ash there, closing his eyes and allowing his friend to relax in his hold.

"Scared. For me," the prince said, lifting one hand to brush through the fur on the back of Ash's head.

"How can. I not. Be scared?" the other responded, touching his face and meeting icy eyes as they opened again. " _I could tell by the sounds you made,"_ he continued in one handed sign. " _That you were in pain. A lot of it."_ He lowered his eyes, a regretful look entering them.

" _It's all my fault,"_ he finished.

" _It's not your fault, Ash,"_ Blue Eyes argued. " _I should have told you immediately. Instead I waited until I couldn't handle it. I was being stupid."_

Ash smiled slightly. " _Yes. You were. But I'm glad you're okay."_ With his worry somewhat settled, he turned towards were they'd left the book. " _But I still don't know why the humans weren't in pain. They made it look like fun."_ They shared a puzzled look before Ash retrieved the book and brought it over. Together they examined the rest of the pictures, trying to figure it out.

" _Blue Eyes! Look!"_ Ash suddenly signed, pointing at one of the images before the prince could turn the page. Blue Eyes paused and did what Ash said, eventually noticing what one male was doing to the other.

" _What is he doing?"_ The prince asked.

" _It looks like he's...Stretching him open?"_ Ash finished, clearly uncertain.

" _Why would they do that?"_

Ash thought for a moment. " _Maybe it makes everything easier."_

Blue Eyes blinked, surprised. " _Perhaps…"_ he trailed off, noticing something else in the picture. " _What's that?"_

Ash gave him a confused look until Blue Eyes pointed out a strange bottle sitting upright next to the two males. He tried to think of an answer, but couldn't. Until…

Ash suddenly pulled away from Blue Eyes, and approached the shiny box left abandoned in the corner, retrieving the strange container from earlier and bringing it back. Blue Eyes gave him a confused look.

" _This stuff is slippery,"_ he explained. " _It might make everything easier too."_

" _You might be right,"_ Blue Eyes said, taking the bottle and setting it aside. " _But I've had enough for one day. Maybe we can try it next time."_

Ash looked a little disappointed, but understood his friend's reasons and smiled. " _Okay."_

Blue Eyes returned Ash's smile and the two went about cleaning up. They returned the bottle and book back to the box and closed it. Then Ash pushed the box into a corner and nodded to the prince, following behind his friend as they exited the tree house. Ash refrained from saying anything, but he noticed how Blue Eyes moved with slight difficulty as he scaled down the tree.

Once on the ground, they trotted side by side to the river and cleaned themselves. Afterwards, they sat until their fur dried, and groomed each other while they waited. Thankfully, to Ash's relief, he noticed Blue Eyes was moving much easier now, the fact that anything was wrong was mostly unnoticeable. With his worry put to rest, Ash happily walked beside the prince as they headed for home.

Already, both were looking forward to their next outing.


	4. First Time: Part 2

_Hey everyone. I know I haven't said anything yet, but I wanted to thank everyone who has read and followed and/or favorited this story. It really means a lot to me to see people reading my work._

 _Anyway, I know this particular pairing isn't exactly popular or often seen, but I really liked it and decided to give Ash and Blue Eyes a bit more attention, especially since the PotA fan fiction site consists of a lot of Caesar romance/sex stories, (not that Caesar or those stories are bad, I really like him and those pieces too, but some stories with rarer pairings are refreshing)._

 _Also, let me know what you think and any criticisms you might have. I'm always looking to get better. :)_

 _And, as a side note, I just started my freshman year of college, so updates may be a lot slower. Sorry, but I am determined to finish this story._

...

Only a few days had passed since their first time, but it felt like far longer than that. It was like some strange dream for the two, especially Blue Eyes. A pleasant dream of course, one that left him hard and aching for release at night, but nothing more than some strange fantasy. Even when he tried to convince himself with the memories, or when Ash sent him undercover looks that sent shivers up his spine or subtly brushed against him as they passed each other, he still couldn't believe it was real until he was following Ash up the tree to do it again.

'This is real. This is real. It happened, and we're going to do it again,' the prince kept telling himself, the same thing he'd been chanting in his head for days. However, it seemed more real here, now that the two were back in their hideout. Everything was right where they'd left it, something that was a relief to them both, and they went about picking up where they left off. Ash took what they needed out of the box before approaching Blue Eyes, opening the book to the picture they'd been looking at last time.

" _Should I go first?"_ the speckled chimp asked.

" _I'll go first,"_ Blue Eyes responded without a thought, nudging the bottle towards his friend. Before Ash could argue, the prince quickly turned and faced away from him.

"Blue Eyes. Sure?" he heard Ash say, switching to out loud speech now that Blue Eyes wasn't looking at him, to which the young prince only nodded. He lowered his body, still feeling strange and out of place as he did it, before opening his legs and exposing himself to his friend. Behind his back, the dark grey chimp sighed as irritation tainted his previous excitable mood. Of course friend wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Far too damn prideful for Ash's taste. But, knowing that trying to convince the prince otherwise would only end in another argument, he let out another annoyed huff while unscrewing the lid and digging his fingers into the pale, sticky substance. The stuff (Vaseline, as he'd read on the bottle) was slippery and chilly, and Ash shuddered slightly as he approached Blue Eyes.

The young prince, who was waiting patiently for Ash to begin, sensed his friend moving closer. He looked over his shoulder, sky orbs darting from the other's coated fingers and back to his speckled face. Their eyes met, both slightly nervous for different reasons, but Blue Eyes nodded one more time before turning back.

"This cold," Ash warned before he pressed his hand between Blue Eyes' legs and spread Vaseline over the flesh there.

The prince shuddered at the contact, both from the chill and being touched in such a place. The feeling was completely foreign to the inexperienced ape. However, he allowed Ash to continue and did his best to ignore the uncomfortable sensation. Blue Eyes could feel his body beginning to calm after a few moments, now assured that this strange touch wouldn't cause any pain. But that assurance vanished a moment later when he felt the other's fingers starting to work his body open.

Blue Eyes' first instinct was to clamp down as Ash gently forced open the tight ring of muscle, yet he did his best to relax and focused on his breathing despite the awkward stretching. It took time, far longer than he expected, but eventually the foreign feeling began to drift away and he was able to relax completely. And, to his surprise, he was not only able to relax, but find pleasure in the stimulation as well. Before long, he was panting in bliss and gently rocking his hips against Ash's fingers.

Soon after, once his friend was sure Blue Eyes was ready, Ash removed his digits. The prince let out a pleading whine, but quickly went silent once he felt the other chimp moving between his legs and his fully hard erection pressed against his entrance. Once more, he asked Blue Eyes if he was ready before firmly gripping his hips and beginning to mount him.

Blue Eyes hissed as Ash slowly slid inside him, gasping and whimpering at the friction sparking along his nerves and a small amount of discomfort as Ash's fingertips dug further into the flesh and bone of his hips. Before long, Ash's pelvis and the prince's backside were pressed flush together. Once he was fully buried inside, the green eyed chimp began panting from the tight heat surrounding him while his partner trembled below him, trying to accommodate to an overpowering rush of ecstasy and pain he never even dreamed was possible. Ash remained still for a time, and for awhile Blue Eyes was fine with that. He was stretched further open than before, although he was better prepared, and needed time to adjust. Soon though, he felt ready for the next step and pushed backwards impatiently, grinding their hips together to let Ash know he could move.

Ash started out slow and rocked his hips in a gentle back and forth motion. Blue Eyes enjoyed the friction at first, but was quickly clawing at the ground and begging Ash to go faster. The dark grey chimp compiled, but only slightly. The prince could feel his shaky movements and knew he was tempted to pick up the pace, but clearly was still worried about hurting his friend. Blue Eyes, however, had no such concerns and threw his hips backwards again as Ash thrust forward.

"M...More," he pleaded, feeling his own length twitching and throbbing beneath him. He was growing hotter whilst a powerful, tingling need spreading from his aching flesh and throughout the rest of his overwhelmed body. Hearing Ash hiss in response while his fingers dug further into his flesh, Blue Eyes purposely clenched around his friend to try and break his self control. Growing desperate when Ash still continued with his leisurely pace, he threw his body backwards one more time and shrieked, "HARDER!"

Not a second later, Blue Eyes gasped in surprise when Ash roughly yanked him back and thrust forward at the same time. Their hips slammed together as Ash set a rapid and brutal rhythm, drawing loud shrieks and moans from his shuddering partner. Every thrust from the ashy chimp allowed his rock hard cock to grind, _hard,_ against Blue Eyes' sensitive, inner nerves. The prince could feel his body bowing further under the other's weight, especially as Ash grabbed his shoulders and used the new angle to both force Blue Eyes backwards and push him further down. Soon his forehead was pressed against the floor and Ash was overtop him completely, his entire form jolting every time the green eyed chimp slammed into him.

Blue Eyes imagined he must look like the bottom male in the image did, and flushed with embarrassment. Who would've thought that he, a male, would find himself in such a position? But then Ash's cock stabbed forward again, spearing deep inside the young prince and slamming against a previously unknown spot that made his vision go white, and he no longer cared about what he looked like or what position he should or shouldn't be in. His skin was prickling with the need for release, and that instinctual need overpowered his mind and became his main priority. He needed Ash to keep rutting inside him, to give his body what it needed, and to never stop…

Blue Eyes could already feel himself nearing orgasm, especially as Ash continued to hit that good spot over and over again. With black spots dancing in his vision, Blue Eyes' cries were getting louder and more frequent while he tried to keep his shaking body propped up, digging his knees and fingers into the floor and raising his backside to give Ash better access, but he never could secure a good hold with his friend's weight and rutting hips dragging his body back and forth. He remained in this state for a short time until, after another desperate, high pitched whine left his throat, Ash's cock suddenly struck him in the right place and he lost all control.

He screamed as the most powerful orgasm he'd ever experienced tore through his body, causing his already trembling arms and legs to collapse under his weight. His entire frame would've hit the floor, but Ash was still pounding into his quaking body. Now griping the prince's hips again, Ash continued to thrust into him during his orgasm, his rear end sticking up in the air while his upper body laid limp against the floor. His blue eyes rolled, and he let out shaky cries as the stimulation of his muscles became too much. Blue Eyes swore he was going to end up choking himself, as he was barely getting any air while continuing to use what little remained in his lungs.

Thankfully, before such a tragic event could occur, he felt warmth flooding his insides and internally sighed in relief. He was yanked backwards one more time as Ash buried every inch inside his friend, letting out his own high pitched yells while he dealt with his own release. He held Blue Eyes there, still face down and trembling from over-exertion whilst the intense heat soaked into his sore muscles. Once he was finished, the ashy chimp exhaled hard and gently lowered them both to the ground before laying on his exhausted partner's back.

Ash panted heavily against the back of his neck, the wet warmth washing over the black fur located there. Blue Eyes was panting too, desperately trying to get his breath back. It might've been easier if Ash wasn't resting all his weight on his body, but the thought of asking Ash to move never crossed his mind. After some time, Blue Eyes' heart rate and breathing slowed, returning to normal while the pounding heart and heavy breath against his back did the same. Neither chimp moved, even though they could have; the pleasant afterglow and heat from each other's bodies tempting both of the young apes to stay in that position. At least until Blue Eyes became aware of a sticky heat on his stomach and wiggled uncomfortably. His partner let out an irritated grunt at the motion, but pulled out and laid right beside him instead.

They turned towards each other. Ash threw one hand over Blue Eyes' waist and pulled him closer, nuzzling the side of his head in the process. The prince smiled at the pleasant contact, returning the gesture and leaning closer to press their lips together. He felt Ash stiffen from surprise, but quickly relax into the kiss as he pulled his friend flush against him. Their tongues met soon after, twisting together teasingly until the sky eyed chimp thought his lungs would burst. Ash broke their lip lock a few seconds later and pulled their foreheads together.

" _Are you okay?"_ Ash signed, the green in his eyes filled with warmth and concern.

Blue Eyes smiled gently and nodded. " _More than okay,"_ he responded, the events of the past few minutes running rapidly through his mind. " _That was amazing, Ash."_

The other grinned cheekily. " _I know. I could tell by your desperate begging."_

Blue Eyes playfully glared, pulling back and punching him in the arm. " _Shut up!"_

Ash gave a proud smirk in response and chuffed happily, placating his friend with another kiss when the prince continued with his mock anger. Blue Eyes sighed into Ash's lips but otherwise didn't break their bond. Instead he relaxed on his side and melted into Ash's embrace, both chimps wrapping their arms around each other as the kiss became deeper.

Unlike their last lip lock, this one lasted far longer. Even when one chimp paused to take a breath, the other reconnected a moment later, continuing the cycle. Lips and tongues danced together fiercely, fingertips gripping each other's skulls to pull the other closer and searching for one another desperately whenever separated. And when Ash eventually rolled on his back and pulled Blue Eyes atop him, the two still remained locked together. They might have stayed that way for hours, enjoying their session and rolling around together until the sun went down, had they not felt the swelling need in their loins building up again. Both were ready for another round of rutting.

Now taking control of the situation, Blue Eyes rose to his knees and ended their embrace. Immediately the other hooted gently and reached forward to gently tug on him, but his needs would not be ignored. Looking down at his slightly smaller friend, he grinned and motioned for him to assume the position. Ash huffed at his friend's command, halfway tempted to defy him, but complied. The young chimp turned away from the proud prince, raising his body to present himself to the other while positioning himself as Blue Eyes had done earlier.

With Ash in place, Blue Eyes quickly retrieved the book of human males and brought it over. Glancing at the book's images every so often for guidance, Blue Eyes copied his friend's previous actions. He followed each step, gently preparing his friend with slick fingers, and ignoring the strangeness of his friend's muscles contracting around his fingers, until Ash no longer grunted uncomfortably. Once he figured Ash was stretched enough, Blue Eyes removed his digits and spread the slippery substance over his cock, firmly gripping Ash's hips and settling between his spread legs when he was done.

"Ash ready?" he questioned, wanting to be certain his friend could do this.

"Go ahead," Ash whispered back, his raspy voice strained with lust while he backed up and pressed his rear more firmly against his friend. Blue Eyes shuddered as Ash's coarse fur tickled his sensitive flesh, feeling the strain to be inside the other chimp increase. Using every ounce of control he had to keep his baser instincts from taking over, he gently guided his hips forward and carefully entered his childhood friend.

As soon as his head breached Ash's entrance, the prince let out a loud groan at the tight heat surrounding him. The slick muscle within gripped him like a vice, making the urge to start thrusting almost irresistible. However, he remembered his own experience with being mounted a short while ago, and knew his friend needed time to adjust. As he settled in to wait after he was hilted completely, he hoped his friend could adjust quickly. Unfortunately for the lust driven prince, Ash was not ready as quickly as he would've liked. The dark grey chimp still trembled underneath him while occasionally letting out overwhelmed whimpers. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like Ash was taking longer than he had. And, although Blue Eyes had no prior experience to compare this to, not even with females, it did seem like Ash was pretty tight. Perhaps he was too hasty earlier and hadn't prepared him well enough.

Finally, to try and distract himself so he didn't do something he would later regret, he let go of Ash's hips and placed his hands on the floor while his stomach and chest pressed against his friend's back. Now that Ash's warm, grey furred back was pressed against him, the prince could sense his heavy breathing and shaking. He realized Ash was worse off than he originally thought. To distract his struggling friend, he nibbled on his ear and suckled on the smooth flesh of his lobe. Ash seemed surprised at first but appreciated the attention, flashing him a small smile and nuzzling his cheek in thanks. Blue Eyes returned a comforting hoot and continued teasing Ash's ear, eventually moving up to the shell and nipping gently. His friend allowed him to continue for a while, but soon let out a deep breath and gently rocked his hips against the prince's. Blue Eyes pulled back at the sudden stimulation, hissing from the pleasure and grinding himself against his partner. He figured Ash was finally ready, but instead the other whimpered again and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Ash?" The prince whispered, waiting until the other turned around to continue. Although he tried to hide it, Blue Eyes could see the silvery haze in his friend's eyes. "You want. To stop?"

To his surprise, Ash shook his head. "Is fine. Blue Eyes," he assured, smiling gently. "Just not. Ready. Will be. Soon."

Blue Eyes' gaze narrowed slightly, not believing what Ash was promising. Seeing that the prince wasn't convinced, he hooted softly and nuzzled his friend again. Blue Eyes tried to resist, but as he met Ash's pleading, leafy eyes, he decided that maybe he was right. He just needed to be patient and trust his friend, hoping that Ash wouldn't do what he had done a few days prior and wait until he was in too much pain before asking Blue Eyes to stop.

A short time later, Ash gave another experimental wiggle of his hips, but didn't whimper this time. Taking that as an encouraging sign, Blue Eyes gently ground against him and hoped Ash was finally coming around. To his delight, Ash blissfully shivered and pushed back against his friend to increase the friction. Taking that as a hint to keep going, the prince rose and grasped Ash's hips again. He pulled almost completely out, using his grip on his friend as leverage, before filling his partner again with a slow, smooth motion. Ash gasped beneath him, begging him in a strained voice to keep going. Blue Eyes continued with his thrusting and set a gentle pace, enjoying the ecstatic noises Ash was making.

Quickly Blue Eyes' mind was lost, only able to focus on the pleasure spreading throughout his body as his friend grew warmer around him. He began to pick up the pace without realizing it, his instincts taking over his mind and preventing any thoughts except for those pertaining to release. Blue Eyes didn't notice, but the sharp increase in pace shocked the ape beneath him. However, the grey chimp, who was already completely overwhelmed and downing in ecstasy, did nothing to stop his friend and allowed him to keep going.

Before long, Blue Eyes' pounding hips reached maximum speed, grunting heavily from the effort and pushing to do more. Through his haze, he could hear his friend crying out as his throbbing erection dragged heavily against his inner nerves, bracing his body against Blue Eyes' thrusts and pushing backwards whenever possible. His fingers dug deeper into Ash's hips, rutting forward with a strength hard enough to shatter human bones. Throughout it all Ash whined and shrieked, crying out his pleasure to his friend and causing Blue Eyes' arousal to skyrocket. Before long, the prince knew he couldn't take much more; the heated tightness squeezing him or Ash's ecstatic hoots and cries.

Suddenly his friend was apishly screaming beneath him, his insides growing tighter and pulsing as he tripped headlong into orgasm. Blue Eyes followed soon after, growling harshly and squeezing his eyes shut, the sky colored orbs rolling behind his closed lids. He slammed his hips forward one more time, pulling Ash backwards as well and holding him there while his warm seed spilled.

They remained in the doggystyle position while riding the crescendo of their orgasms, waiting for the last waves of pleasure to lessen and fade inside them. Just as the last ecstatic twitch of his softening cock passed, he felt Ash wiggle his hips and hoot at him gently, signaling Blue Eyes to let go. The prince did so and allowed Ash to move away and break their connection, his fingers aching from gripping Ash so tightly. He massaged them to lessen the pain, watching Ash all the while. His friend moved a few feet away from the mess he'd made, limbs shaky and unstable, before choosing a dry spot to recline on. Blue Eyes quickly joined him, laying on his back beside him, close enough that their arms were pressed together. Both relaxed in that position and waited for their breathing and heart rates to return to normal again. Blue Eyes was the first to calm, and waited for the other to follow suite before gently poking him. Ash looked towards him, an inquisitive look in his emerald eyes.

" _We should leave the village more often and come here,"_ he signed.

Ash smiled approvingly at his friend's statement. " _I know,"_ he agreed. Then, shaking his head, added, " _It's hard to think about anything else. Father has already lectured me many times for not paying attention."_

The young prince chuckled, the thought stroking his already oversized ego. " _Rocket lectured you, because you were daydreaming about me when you should've been paying attention?"_ Blue Eyes jokingly signed, pulling his lips back in a broad grin and fixing Ash with a mock-flattered look. " _That's nice to know."_

Ash glared at him. " _Shut up!"_ He protested, signs rapid and embarrassed. " _I bet you've been thinking about me too!"_

The prince remained playful at first, but quickly grew serious. Ash wasn't wrong, as the young ape had been reprimanded by both his parents for spacing off. Caesar, more so than Cornelia, especially becoming irritated with his son's behavior. But during the last few days he'd thought about mating with Ash constantly, and it was hard to think about anything else with his mind constantly drowning in fantasies of sex and lust. He admitted as much to Ash, who relented his glare and sighed heavily.

" _We have to keep ourselves under control. Our parents will get suspicious if we keep acting this way."_

Blue Eyes nodded his agreement, knowing how crucial it was to not give anyone a reason to think something was going on. Especially not their parents. " _It won't be easy,"_ he admitted, " _but I think a few visits to my cave will keep me satisfied until we can meet again."_

" _Cave?"_ Ash asked, now extremely confused. " _What cave?"_

" _It's near the colony,"_ Blue Eyes explained. " _I sneak out and go there when I need to...satisfy myself."_

Ash blinked in surprise, but grinned and hooted mischievously shortly after. Eyes dancing amusingly, he asked, " _You sneak out? I just do it when mother and father are gone"._

" _I used to do that, but then mother almost caught me."_

Ash burst out laughing, the thought of Cornelia walking in on Blue Eyes proving too much to bare, and what her reaction would be if she'd actually caught him. The grey chimp could easily imagine her surprised and horrified shriek, alongside Blue Eyes own surprised screams and shocked face as he was caught in the act. Despite feeling embarrassed, Blue Eyes was still tickled at the thought too and eventually began pant-laughing along with his friend.

The two continued talking for a while once their laughter ceased, telling jokes and poking jabs at one another until it grew late and they had to head for the river. They raced towards the colony once their fur was dry, both doing their best to use branches and anything within reach to slow the other down. Blue Eyes expected their competition to continue until they were inside the gates; however, Ash suddenly halted, still out of view of the colony guards due to the thick trees surrounding them. Once he realized Ash was no longer following, Blue Eyes stopped and returned to him. He gave his friend a questioning look, but the grey chimp only smiled in response and pressed his mouth against his friend's. The prince was shocked, but Ash ended their brief embrace and affectionately nuzzled his cheek instead before he could return the gesture. Blue Eyes sighed pleasurably at the soothing touch, allowing Ash to do as he wished.

A few seconds passed before Ash stopped, but he didn't pull away. Instead he came a little closer, moving his head so the skin on his face rubbed against Blue Eyes' until his mouth was positioned right beside the prince's ear. The darker furred ape sighed again, relaxing against his friend's warm flesh and closing his eyes. However, they snapped open a moment later, his entire body going rigid as Ash gently but suggestively whispered in his ear, "Until. Next time. Blue Eyes."

Ash stepped back, observing his friend with lust filled eyes while the prince processed what just happened, and did his best to keep his sudden arousal hidden. Finally, when he'd regained control of his emotions, he fixed his friend with a similar look, head angled slightly in thought.

" _I know this should be hard for you,"_ he began, " _but try to keep your desire for mating under control. I wouldn't want you to...embarrass yourself in front of other apes."_

Ash's eyes darkened at the comment, losing their previous teasing gleam while he mock-growled at Blue Eyes. " _You'll regret that,"_ he promised.

" _We'll see about that,"_ the prince shot back, copying his friend's earlier teasing look before turning towards the colony and gesturing Ash to follow him. Now that it was late and they didn't have much time left, the other followed along, shooting him glances that were full of the promise of revenge. Blue Eyes did his best to respond with looks of his own, putting up a tough-to-break exterior until they reached the colony and dropped their play-fight altogether, while still inwardly reeling over Ash's words from earlier. " _Until. Next time. Blue Eyes."_ That little phrase was going to keep him up for a while tonight. And probably the next few nights as well.

With their current plan to meet as often as possible, the two continued to act normal while around others until they could head for their hideout again. Weeks passed and their plan was going perfectly. No one suspected anything was going on between Ash and Blue Eyes, and two were able to keep their desires under control until they were free to express them again. And, as an added bonus, the two found black cloth at an abandoned cabin close to their hideout. It had holes in it, but they were only small ones and the cloth still served its function as a covering for the windows.

However, as time passed, it became harder for the young prince to keep his desires hidden until he and Ash were alone. The first couple weeks were challenging enough, but he figured everything would get easier as he got more used to hiding his quickly building arousal. His cave played a major role, and for a while there was no problem. At least, until Blue Eyes began to desire Ash for more than just sex.

He wasn't sure when it exactly happened, but he began to notice how increasingly enjoyable it was to be in Ash's presence, especially when embracing before and after mating. He became far more affectionate and began returning everything, from the smallest kiss and caress to the strongest mating sessions they ever endured, with more passion than he'd ever managed before. And during the night, he found himself wishing that Ash was there, his warm frame pressed against the prince's own as they drifted off to sleep.

Even after noticing his changes in behavior, it wasn't until another week had passed that it became painfully obvious to Blue Eyes that keeping up the charade was difficult for more than one reason. He was growing closer to his childhood friend, until his mind reached a point where the prince no longer considered Ash as just his friend.

He was in love with him.


	5. Friends No More

Another few weeks after Blue Eyes' realization found the two back in the treehouse. The sun was slowly making its way towards the horizon, and the fading afternoon light left the inside of the wooden hut cast mostly in shadow. But this was nothing the two weren't already used to by now, and they easily underwent another round in the near darkness. It was one of their best yet, Ash had complimented while Blue Eyes was climbing off him. Now, fully relaxed in the aftermath of their rutting, Ash lay cuddled against the prince on his side. He was clearly enjoying the other's body heat, pressing his face against the prince's throat with one arm lazily slung over his waist. While Ash's warm breath glided over his jugular, Blue Eyes absentmindedly raked his fingertips through the dark grey fur on his back, drawing soft, pleasurable hoots every so often from his partner. However, the young prince was as far as one could be from relaxed.

Instead of enjoying the peaceful moment, the first either had in days, Blue Eyes could feel his heart rate steadily increasing. Then, after Ash decided to change his position and move over the prince so that he was laying partially on top of the sky-hued ape, it doubled in an instant. However, Ash remained unaware of the prince's inner turmoil and placed his head in the middle of Blue Eyes' chest, nuzzling into the midnight black fur there. The motions from Ash's head caused the fur to part and expose the pale skin to the air. Now, as heated air washed over the flesh there, Blue Eyes wasn't sure how much more he could take. This desire for Ash's attention and affection was driving him crazy and he felt like he would snap any day now. And, if his nerves were not already stretched tighter than a bowstring, he began to notice other females their age fixing Ash with longing stares when he wasn't looking. The first time Blue Eyes realized this, he experienced a terrible urge to snarl and bare his teeth at the young, petite female, as if he had been challenged for his mate. Eventually he had to leave the area to prevent doing something he would later regret.

In the back of his mind, he knew he was being ridiculous. Ash was not his mate, nor had he made any commitment to Blue Eyes aside from being a friend who occasionally mated with him. They'd certainly been growing closer, but Ash still didn't seem to have any interest in becoming more than friends. But, as he noticed more females had similar thoughts about Ash in mind, the desire to become territorial and aggressive increased tremendously. It scared him, but at the same time it was nearly impossible to hold himself back. And he swore, if he saw one more goddamn female...

Suddenly Ash lifted his head, his leafy eyes concerned and spearing through Blue Eyes' frazzled nerves like knives. Only then did the prince realize that his breathing had increased enough that his chest was rising and falling rapidly, something that was impossible for Ash to miss in his current position.

" _Blue Eyes?"_ He questioned, " _Is everything okay?"_

Blue Eyes froze as a cold sensation washed over him, like someone had replaced his warm blood with icy water, rendering him unable to move or respond. Both his body and mind screeched to a dead halt, remaining that way while staring at his friend like a deer caught in the light. Ash repeated his question again when Blue Eyes refused to answer. Growing more nervous in the silence, the white speckled chimp placed his hand on Blue Eyes' face. As the warmth from his palm soaked into the prince's cheek, he snapped out of his trance and regained the ability to focus again. His first immediate instinct was to lie and promise Ash that nothing was going on, or even make something up. But the urge to confess was overwhelming, enough that it was difficult for the young ape to decide what to do.

Finally, realizing this was only going to get worse if he kept ignoring his true emotions, he choose to be honest with Ash. The prince inhaled and exhaled a calming breath, knowing he had nowhere else to run, and lifted his hands to sign.

" _Ash,"_ Blue Eyes started. " _I have to tell you something."_ The grey ape blinked twice, surprised by Blue Eyes' words. Clearly intrigued, he gestured for the prince to continue. Already the young ape wanted to stop, but pressed onwards despite his fear. " _I've been thinking about you everyday,"_ he admitted, shaking his head in defeat. " _And I can't make it stop."_

Ash looked confused at first, but quickly huffed in disbelief. Blue Eyes was taken back, surprised by his friend's dismissal of his claim. But, before he could really process the situation, Ash was raising his own hands to sign. " _That's nothing new. You told me that a few weeks ago, remember? After our first time?"_

Blue Eyes watched the other's signs closely, feeling very close to a nervous breakdown. However, once Ash was finished he remembered the prior conversation the other was talking about, and realized he hadn't been clear enough.

" _I was only talking about sex then,"_ he clarified. " _Now...I just think about_ _you_ _."_

After Blue Eyes' confession, his friend's entire expression changed. He still looked slightly confused, but he also seemed...interested. Very interested in what the prince had to say. But his next words came slowly and careful, as if Ash himself was being cautious about what to say. " _What about me?"_

The prince tried to choose his words carefully too, but after weeks of bottling up his emotions and keeping them down, his lips laid his thoughts bare for Ash to see without considering how it might sound.

" _It's not even about mating. I just...Want to be with you. All the time. Especially at night. I want you beside me in the nest. And...And..."_ He sighed. " _I want more than sex from you, Ash. I've been dreaming of more for weeks now."_ Another sigh, tears forming in his eyes. " _And I know I shouldn't expect more from you, but I…"_

Suddenly Ash's body was pressed tightly against his, the surprise warmth and motion cutting Blue Eyes off completely. He felt the other's arms snake around his waist and pull their torsos flush together without an inch of space between them, meanwhile Ash's head found its previous spot buried in the fur on his neck. It took until that moment for the prince to realize Ash was hugging him, and as he lifted his arms to return the embrace, his mind remained lost as to what the other was doing. The speckled chimp stayed there for some time, trembling in Blue Eyes' arms until he finally lifted his head and pressed it against the side of the prince's.

"I dream. Of you. All the. Time too," Ash whispered, warm air sliding over his ear.

Blue Eyes gasped and, despite the shock flooding his senses, pulled away and broke their embrace to look Ash in the eyes. He stared at him for a while, searching for any sign he might've misheard. However, when he gazed deep into Ash's emerald orbs, love, affection, and longing was all he found looking back at him.

He had not misheard! Ash was in love too!

With him!

Blue Eyes smiled tearfully, reassured that there was no deception and he wasn't being rejected. The prince reached out towards Ash and beckoned him forward. The speckled chimp responded eagerly, immediately moving forward and pressing his body against Blue Eyes again. They remained motionless for a few long moments and enjoyed the warmth radiating from one another, eventually moving their heads even closer so their lips could touch. Blue Eyes felt Ash's mouth part and responded, brushing his tongue against the other's and beginning a slow, sensual dance between them. But unlike most of their other sessions, neither one was pushing the other to the floor or trying to dominate in a fierce match of tongue wrestling. Instead they took their time and explored what was there, moving together instead of fighting and full of love instead of lust. It was far from their first, but it was the best either had ever experienced.

But all good things must come to an end, and the two ended their kiss. Neither moved away, pressing their foreheads together again and staring right into each other's eyes. Both were smiling, full of happiness and content now that they knew their dreams were coming true. But as they gazed at each other, Blue Eyes noticed that Ash was getting misty eyed, emerald eyes becoming glossy with unshed tears. Now concerned that something was wrong, he hooted gently and comfortingly towards Ash while tilting his head and conveying a silent question.

" _I'm just...So happy, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash explained, tears beginning to spill from his eyes. " _You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that. It's been bothering me for weeks. And after I noticed how Lake and other females have been looking at you, it became almost unbearable."_

Blue Eyes blinked twice, surprised at the new information. " _Females have been eyeing me?"_ He asked. He must've been too occupied with Ash and the females vying for his attention to notice any vying for his own.

" _They are. Especially Lake,"_ Ash confirmed. " _All the time. Whenever you weren't looking, they were watching you."_ He paused for a moment. " _I was too. And every time I noticed, I was scared to death because I thought I would lose you."_

" _I've been worried too, Ash. I've barely been sleeping,"_ Blue Eyes confessed, the thought of all the stress and worry causing tears to come to his own icy eyes. " _Females admire you as well, and I felt like one of them would approach you."_

Ash sniffed, but otherwise paid no attention to his freely flowing tears. Instead he placed one hand on Blue Eyes face, looking deep into his misty sapphire eyes with determination shining in his own. " _That isn't important anymore,"_ he declared. " _We know now, and…"_ He paused and took a moment to gather his thoughts. Clearly he wasn't sure what to say, as there was so much he wanted to convey. Finally though, he inhaled deeply and summarized all his thoughts in three simple but powerful words.

"I love you," Ash said aloud.

Blue Eyes nearly choked, happiness wrapping around his heart and pulling tight, making it hard to breathe or believe that this was actually happening. Nothing else Ash could've said would have provoked such a reaction from him. He hadn't said a lot, but those words meant more than anything in the world to the ape prince.

Ash had said his piece. Now, it was his turn.

"I love you too," Blue Eyes whispered, knowing there was nothing better he could say. Those words meant so much to them both, most of which is unspoken but understood nonetheless. Once the last word left his lips, the young apes quickly moved forward and kissed again, wrapping their arms around each other and melting into the other's embrace. It felt right, and neither wanted anything more in this moment.

They broke apart quickly. The young prince buried his face in Ash's neck and gently pushed the grey fur aside, teasing the heated skin beneath with his mouth. Ash groaned and placed one hand on the back of Blue Eyes' head, tilting back his own while his fingers tangled in midnight black fur. He thoroughly enjoyed each swipe of Blue Eyes' hot tongue and every caress from his sharp canines until he finally laid back, pulling the prince on top of him and crushing their bodies together in the process.

Blue Eyes kept going despite the change in position, but slowly began to move upwards. His lips parted more fur as he ascended, gaining access to the skin below and torturing his partner with his talented mouth until the hands tangled in his hair gripped too tightly. Ash's veins pulsed with warm blood below the dark skin, his heart rate spiking further as the prince continued with his teasing. Then he ended with one last kiss to his lover's throat, pulling back and nipping playfully at Ash's chin before pressing their mouths together again. The previous rush of emotion and passion quickly transformed into arousal, and both apes felt a hot, swelling need for release between their legs. The intense high left them panting, and Blue Eyes could feel Ash's excited interest jutting against his own by the time the kiss ended.

Luckily for them, they knew how to relieve that need.

They parted with a string of saliva connecting them. Blue Eyes tried to lean in for another one but Ash acted first, flipping them around so he was on top with the prince lying on his back beneath him. Immediately afterwards, Ash pushed his legs wide apart and pressed himself between them, grinding his heated crotch against Blue Eyes' fully exposed erection. The other groaned at the rough contact, taking Ash's hips in a tight grip and wildly bucking against him to increase the friction. Ash's hands remained on the floor beside Blue Eyes, and their foreheads brushed every so often as they thrusted against each other.

Soon Blue Eyes' cock was throbbing in a rhythmic way he recognized, and knew he was going to snap if they kept going like this. Reluctantly, he let go of Ash and pulled away enough to break any physical contact between them. Ash barked at the sudden loss of friction, his cock straining between his legs and aching to be touched as he met the prince's eyes and tried to figure out the reason for the sudden halt. But before he could start asking questions, Blue Eyes started signing to communicate what he wanted. Ash followed his signs closely until he was finished, and nodded with a wide grin before backing away to retrieve what he needed.

He returned a moment later with the pale Vaseline bottle in his hands. The young chimp quickly unscrewed the lid, scooping out a decent amount and spreading it over his rock hard flesh. Blue Eyes followed his movements with hungry eyes, barking impatiently when Ash took his sweet time. The other grinned and slowed his already leisurely movements, the action driving the young prince insane with desperation. He barked again and let out a loud, pleading whine when Ash showed no signs of finishing anytime soon. The speckled chimp continued for a time, until he'd finally decided he'd had enough of his own game. Blue Eyes sighed with relief as Ash finally stopped and reached for the Vaseline bottle again, approaching the prince and settling between his legs after his fingers were slick with the stuff.

Lying on his back and staring up at his partner, Blue Eyes' heart pounded with anticipation as Ash's fingers slid inside him. His blood roared in his veins, fire in his bloodstream and in his loins that burned with far a greater intensity than the setting sun. By now his cock throbbed so hard it was almost painful, and he tried his best to grind against the scissoring digits and increase the weak stimulation. Ash took the hint and buried his fingers deeper, enjoying the loud moans the action earned him. Suddenly Ash withdrew, but was replacing his fingers with his cock before Blue Eyes had a chance to complain. Both apes groaned as Ash mounted him, enjoying the ecstasy their connection brought them. The prince shuddered and reached out to wrap his legs around Ash's waist, flashing a gentle smile when the other laid on top of him. Ash returned the gesture a moment before before Blue Eyes felt his lover's hand slipping into his own. The prince looked deep into those emerald eyes, his own warm and tender while he squeezed back and whispered an encouragement to move.

Ash started slow, gently rocking into Blue Eyes as the prince's fingers dug into his back. The young ape was quickly overwhelmed, his body burning wherever Ash's touched it. He shakily begged for more, icy eyes rolling already from the sheer intensity. Ash obliged, trying to make their time last but quickly losing control and picking up speed. Now he thrusted into Blue Eyes without abandon, both calling out each other's names without hesitation. Their grips shifted constantly, but they kept their hands tightly clasped, only squeezing tighter as their pleasure climbed higher.

Finally Blue Eyes jerked and shrieked as the pressure inside him exploded. The heat in his belly ignited, spreading like wildfire throughout his muscles and causing them to pulse around his mate. He shuddered as he spilled, breathlessly mouthing Ash's name as the other followed a moment later. And, as Blue Eyes' body throbbed with the last fading waves of his orgasm, he couldn't help but think the heat spilling inside him had never felt so good.

Ash laid down once he finished, sprawled on top of Blue Eyes as he recovered. The prince allowed him to stay and stroked his back with one hand, the other still gripping Ash's. Both enjoyed the afterglow with a newfound passion until Ash lifted his head, staring deep into Blue Eyes' sapphire orbs. The prince stared back and locked eyes with his former friend; now romantic partner, lover, and mate.

Forever.

They both smiled and leaned in for another kiss, forever sealing the vow between them and altering their paths permanently. Neither could ever be happier then when they laid in each other's embrace.

And now, at the beginning of the summer, here they are.

…

A warm hand on his back brought Blue Eyes out of the memory, and he turned to find Ash staring at him. The speckled chimp smiled gently when their eyes met and leaned forward to nuzzle his darker furred mate. The prince closed his eyes, enjoying the attention while they still had time together.

" _Time to go?"_ he signed, readying himself to move after Ash had pulled away.

To his surprise (and delight), Ash shook his head, eyes twinkling merrily. " _Almost. Not yet."_

Before Blue Eyes could respond, Ash pulled away and allowed the curtain to cover the window again. The near pitch blackness returned and cloaked the two in darkness; however, he could still see Ash's outline and, along with it, his beckoning fingers. Blue Eyes approached quickly and settled before Ash on his knees. Thankfully, he noticed as he lowered himself down, only a dull ache traveled up his spine instead of sharp pain. Once he was settled, he felt Ash's fingers against the back of his head. The prince followed his mate's lead, placing his hands in the same positions on Ash's body while the dark grey chimp gently pulled him forward.

Their heads met and Blue Eyes let himself relax. He allowed Ash to hold him there, enjoying the contact for a few moments. Then his lips parted while his head turned to the side, letting Ash know he's ready. Both chimps close their eyes, and then Ash's mouth is pressed firmly against Blue Eyes'. Just like their sex sessions, the kiss starts out slow but gains intensity as the two continue. They only use their lips at first, moving them gently against each other's. Soon however, their lips begin to part further and Blue Eyes feels Ash's tongue in his mouth. He let out a low, muffled groan and presses closer, meeting his lover's advances with his own.

Before long their tongues are dancing and twisting together, fighting each other for dominance and control as their loving embrace turns into a more lustful one. They fiercely compete with each other, but Ash eventually manages to overtake Blue Eyes and dominates the kiss. The prince groaned in response and tried his best to regain some control while Ash gently laid him back until his body hit the floor. The dark grey chimp followed quickly and laid directly on top of him, but despite the fresh bolts of pain shooting up his spine, Blue Eyes allowed Ash to rest his full weight on his body. Both males shift their holds on each other, Ash's hands now resting on either side of Blue Eyes' face. The prince on the other hand has one arm wrapped around Ash's neck with the other slung over his waist. And, despite their movements, their tongues and lips never stop moving against each other.

Eventually they do part, only to press their mouths together over and over again several times in a row. They continue like this until Ash, however reluctant to do so, finally broke their lip lock and attempted to gently move away. Blue Eyes let out a quiet hoot in protest and tries to pull Ash against him again, but the other firmly shakes his head.

"Must leave...Now," Ash grates out. Blue Eyes swallows hard and doesn't move at first, but eventually nods and releases his friend. Ash stands, Blue Eyes close behind, and both quickly start to tidy up inside the tree house. Once they finish the curtains are pulled back, the lube and magazine are hidden away, and any body fluids on the floor have been cleaned up. The two quickly exit the tree house afterwards and race for the river. They arrive quickly, and after a few minutes of soaking and vigorously rubbing their bodies to make sure no trace of their activities can be found, both are relaxing on the bank while they wait for their fur to dry. Eventually, as was common in rambunctious, young apes, both grow bored of just sitting around and begin grooming each other instead.

Currently, Ash was gently sliding his fingertips through the fur on Blue Eyes' left arm to smooth it down and undo any tangles. He could feel the prince doing the same on his shoulder. Once finished there, those skilled hands move further down his back and start brushing through the ashy fur located there. But while the prince groomed with swift and nimble fingers, Ash's focus remained on his arm.

Usually he was quicker than this, but he'd quickly become lost in thought soon after starting. For the third time his fingertips moved down Blue Eyes' arm, this time buried deep beneath the fur and stroking along the hard muscle underneath. Ash swallowed quietly, thinking about earlier and how that same muscle was fiercely pulling on his shoulders and sides, trying to force his body down on top of the prince's. Or some of their other times together, when it spasmed and Blue Eyes' entire body shuddered violently every time their hips slammed together, his entire length shoved inside and pounding the prince's quaking frame and causing Blue Eyes' head to tilt back. Eyes rolling, gasping loudly, desperate, and begging Ash:

"Please!"

"More!"

F...Faster!"

"HARDER!"

Suddenly those icy eyes came into Ash's field of view and he snapped out of his fantasy immediately, but it was already too late. He could tell by the smug smile on his mouth that Blue Eyes knew he'd been thinking about him. Again.

" _Want another round?"_ He teased, pant-laughing gently at his mate's expense. Ash bristled, embarrassed at being caught, but decided enough was enough. If Blue Eyes wanted to poke at him, Ash would go ahead and jab him right back.

" _Sure,"_ he signed back, then gestured to the ground beside them. " _Bend over for me. If you're so desperate to be mounted again."_

Blue Eyes' entire face tightened at the comment. His eyes went wide and, Ash noted with satisfaction, he quickly glanced at the ground. Almost like he was actually considering Ash's invitation…

The dark grey chimp couldn't take it anymore and started laughing at him. Blue Eyes fumbled for a minute, trying to come up with a clever response, but couldn't think of anything. Finally he shoved Ash, hard enough to knock him back a little and get his attention.

"I...Remember...That," Blue Eyes promised, looking Ash dead in the eyes.

The other chuckled. He knew Blue Eyes was talking about the next time they met. It would be the prince's turn to be the dominant one and he was really going to let Ash have it. Most likely in the form of slamming into Ash's body until the dark grey chimp's voice was hoarse and he couldn't remember his own name.

Despite that, Ash cocks his head, feigning innocence. " _What?"_ he signs, amusement dancing in his eyes. " _Is that a threat?"_

Blue Eyes smiles wickedly, rising to the challenge Ash presented. " _Prepare yourself,"_ he warns. " _I won't show mercy next time."_

" _Do your worst,"_ Ash responds, puffing out his chest and straightening up." _I can take it."_

The prince's smile grew wider. " _I can't wait,"_ he signed, eyeing Ash's body with mounting lust. " _Until I have you underneath me. Where you belong."_

Ash launches himself at the prince and attempts to wrestle him to the ground. But Blue Eyes, of course, refuses to go down quietly. Within seconds the two are rolling around on the river bank, both trying to gain an advantage over the other. But, even with the prince's still sore backside, Ash is having trouble pinning Blue Eyes down. Not to mention that fact that he was slightly bigger and therefore a little stronger than the speckled chimp. But Ash was determined to win. At least until he got distracted by a small bug wizzing out of the corner of his vision. It was only for a moment, but Blue Eyes took advantage and pinned him to the ground.

This time, it's the prince who puffs his chest out. "Think you can...Handle me. Still?" He pants, nearly breathless.

Ash only chuckles. "I always...Have," he argues. "And will...Always." He let one hand travel up Blue Eyes' side, and watched with satisfaction as the prince shivered from the ticklish touch.

"Then why…Lose...Our fight?" the prince fired back, trying remember they were out in the open and now was not the time for another round. No matter how badly he wanted it.

Ash huffed, unwilling to give up. "I let...You win."

Blue Eyes let out a disbelieving chuff but backed away, allowing Ash to get back up again. He lowered his body down, readying to pounce again. But before he could do anything else, Blue Eyes backed away and gestured toward the colony with his head. He'd had fun, but the sun was getting lower and they had to leave.

"Must go. Fur dry...On way back."

Ash grunted in irritation, as he wanted to continue bickering for a while longer. But one look at the sun's position in the sky made Ash realize how late it was. They had to head for the village now or else they would risk being late. With that thought in mind, Ash followed Blue Eyes' lead without any further argument. Quickly coming up beside his prince, the two young apes quietly head for home. Nothing more is said until Blue Eyes felt Ash poking his shoulder a few minutes later. In response, he turned and looked at Ash to let him know he's paying attention.

" _Sometime soon,"_ Ash begins, signing with one hand so they could keep their pace. " _We should spend the night together. In the tree hut."_

The prince's eyes widen in shock. " _Spend the night?"_ he questioned. "Our _families will panic if we don't come home."_

" _We ask for permission first, Blue Eyes,"_ he argued back. " _Think. Just us. All night."_ He paused to let it sink in before flashing a playful smile, mischief dancing in his eyes. " _A lot of fun...And pleasure. For us."_

Blue Eyes cocked his head slightly while pondering over Ash's invitation. He'd wanted to spend the night with his mate ever since they first came together. To be alone in that tree house for hours, able to mate whenever they felt any sexual urges emerging without having to hide sounded great to Blue Eyes. Being an adolescent, the desire to mate clouded his mind constantly, even before he and Ash were together. And no matter how many times he managed to satisfy himself, it always returned minutes later to further torment him. More so now than ever since his mate was always on his mind. And Ash, he knew, struggled with the same problem. It would be nice to have him there to relieve the need, and vice versa, without concealing it until later or worrying about embarrassing himself in front of the other apes if his 'friend' made itself known. But despite this, Blue Eyes knew such a thing probably wouldn't happen.

" _Our families would never let us spend a night in the woods,"_ he regretful informed Ash. " _We are lucky they allow us out for this long."_

" _We can try,"_ Ash fired back, clearly unwilling to give this up. Blue Eyes started to respond, but Ash continued, green eyes growing desperate. " _Please Blue Eyes. I've been dreaming of it...of you... for a long time."_

The prince swallowed. " _I know, Ash. Trust me, I know. But my family is too strict. Especially father. And Rocket will not like this either."_ Blue Eyes hoped Ash would stop now, but after a few seconds of enduring his pleading leafy eyes, he relented. " _I will try,"_ he finally promised with a defeated sigh.

Ash brightened instantly. " _Great."_ Seconds later however, he became more serious. " _Not likely, I know. But maybe someday…"_

Blue Eyes finally smiled. "Someday," he spoke out loud, then nodded. Yes, someday it would happen. Although not likely right now, they would grow older and become more capable of protecting themselves. Their chances would increase then, Blue Eyes told himself. And, perhaps they could wear their parents down before then.

Ash nodded back. "Can't wait...For night...With you."

The prince's smile grew and, after quickly glancing around to make sure they were still alone, leaned over to quickly peck Ash on the lips. Or, at least it was supposed to be a quick peck. Before Blue Eyes knew it, the kiss became deeper, more intimate, with their lips and tongues getting involved. The two might've went further had Blue Eyes not pulled away when he felt heat starting to build in his loins.

Ash grinned at his mate. "Still cannot...Resist me," he teased, panting slightly from his own arousal.

"Shut up," the prince shot back.

Ash only chuckled before glancing in the direction of the colony. It wasn't much further now; only a few minutes walk away. The two kept going, both knowing that the time for acting on their emotions was over. They had to act like friends from this point on and nothing more, so as not to make any guards or other apes that might happen to cross their path suspicious. The secret lovers stayed quiet for a minute, until Blue Eyes suddenly nudged Ash to get his attention.

"Race you," he said quickly before bolting in the direction of their village, grinning when Ash's surprised and outraged barks reached his ears a moment before the sounds of his pursuit did. Blue Eyes knew Ash was going to let him have it when they reached the colony, but he was entitled to a little revenge after earlier. Right?

As the young prince raced towards home with Ash only a fraction of a second behind him, he became convinced they would have their night together. It might take awhile before they could convince their families to allow them out all night, but they could manage until then. Or perhaps they would get lucky. Like if, for instance, a sudden and severe storm came about while they were gone. They might just have to take shelter for the night. While these thoughts ran through his mind, Blue Eyes crossed the gates and stopped just inside. He'd won.

Big mistake.

Ash jumped him a moment later, the momentum knocking him down and sending them both sliding on the ground. They rolled a couple times, but Ash managed to come out on top and proceeded to try and wrestle the prince again. Blue Eyes responded eagerly, feeling playful adrenaline rushing through his veins as he fought back. Seeing the same energy reflected in Ash's emerald eyes, both roughhoused with each other until Caesar's and Rocket's loud barks drew their attention away.

They looked up to see their fathers, standing just outside their huts and beckoning for their sons to come. Ash nodded to Rocket and backed away from Blue Eyes, signing one last goodbye and a wink before he turned and obeyed his father's command. The prince watched him go as he stood back up and brushed himself off, knuckle-walking towards Caesar once he was finished. He wanted to mess around with Ash for a few more moments, but forced his thoughts elsewhere and concentrated on climbing up the ramp to his home.

He panted slightly as he reached the top, smiling sheepish at his slightly amused father and hooting playfully. Caesar shook his head at Blue Eyes antics and lifted one hand, beckoning him to follow. The young prince nodded and, once Caesar had turned away and headed inside, looked over his shoulder to send one last glance at his mate's hut. He already missed Ash and wanted nothing more than to reconnect with him again. The young prince sighed sadly before walking away and following his father inside. But then his mind returned to his earlier conversation with Ash, the thought of the future times they'd have together brining a small smile to his lips as he greeted his mother.

Yes. They would have a night together eventually. But until then, everything would be alright.


	6. A Vision of the Future

Warmth surrounding him and another body pressed against his own, this being the first thing the young prince was aware of as he opened his eyes. Ash lay beside him with his head on his chest, tracing random patterns in his fur with a finger. Blue Eyes sighed pleasantly at the contact and took time to enjoy the view. Moments like these were always the best. Something about lying together after a round of mating, breathing heavy and hearts pounding as they relaxed in the aftermath, brought a sense of peace Blue Eyes had never experienced before he and Ash came together. It was the kind that had him cursing the sun as it lowered, wishing it would simply freeze in place so he could remain forever with his lover's warmth against him.

As though he felt eyes on him, Ash rotated his head and stared up at Blue Eyes', smiling when the icy blue of the prince's orbs entered his field of vision. Blue Eyes smiled back and lifted one hand to stroke the back of Ash's head, the other shifting to press himself deeper into the prince's palm. Instinctively he gently squeezed Ash's hand which, though he hadn't realized until now, was lying between them and wrapped around his own.

Strange, Blue Eyes thought. He hadn't recalled linking hands. And try as he might, he couldn't remember anything before he opened his eyes. Had they mated and Blue Eyes had fallen asleep afterwards? No, that wasn't right. He would've remembered what they did. And where were they anyway? Did they leave the colony? He didn't think they were in their tree hut, but everything around them was blurry and unclear so maybe he just couldn't tell. In fact, everything was blurred. The only thing he could clearly see was Ash.

Surprisingly none of this bothered Blue Eyes, though he recognized how bizarre this was. He felt that he should be concerned until the weight on his chest lifted and a firm pressure landed on his mouth, the action causing any thoughts on the matter to disappear. Now he could only feel Ash's rough lips moving against his own, the warmth of his furry body, and his rich forest scent thick in Blue Eyes' nose. And even when they parted those feelings remained, making him almost high on the passion and ecstasy. Ash never moved, including lifting his hands to sign. But his eyes seemed to speak for him, and Blue Eyes somehow knew and felt what he was saying even though the words were never spoken. It felt like their minds were connected, their shared consciousness allowing for communication.

 _I had fun, Blue Eyes,_ Ash sent through that strange bond. _I hope we can do this again soon_.

The prince smiled at his mate and nodded. _I hope so, too. It was better than good this time._

But what did they do? Some deep and inner part of Blue Eyes asked this question over and over again, but it was like he was only aware of it and couldn't do anything about it. Especially not when he was staring deep into Ash's leafy eyes, those pretty orbs capturing his attention and making him unable to do anything to ease his distant worries.

Something was definitely off here.

 _You'll always be there for me, right?_ Ash suddenly asked. _You'll never let me fall?_

 _Of course, Ash. We'll be together forever. I promise._

But why would Ash question him like that? Blue Eyes thought he'd made his devotion clear from the start, so why would he-

 _You'll keep me safe? Protect me when I need it? Always be there when I need you?_

Another nod. _I swear. I won't let anyone hurt you._

But who was going to-

 _I'm sorry,_ Ash apologized with a shake of his head. He seemed worried all of a sudden. _I feel like something's going to happen, and I just want to know I can trust you._

 _You_ _can_ _trust me, Ash._ Blue Eyes smiled, trying to convince his distressed mate. _I won't let anything happen. You'll always be safe when you're with me._

But what made Ash thing something was going to-

The speckled chimp suddenly leaned forward and touched his forehead to Blue Eyes', his grip on the prince's hand tightening until he winced out loud. His emerald eyes never left Blue Eyes', and the young ape saw desperation swimming inside them while his grey-furred chest heaved against his own. Clearly Ash was terrified of something and clinging to Blue Eyes out of reflex.

But what was wrong with-

 _Protect me!_ Ash declared, no longer asking a question but commanding the prince instead. His eyes began to get misty and his entire body shook in Blue Eyes' embrace.

 _I don't want to die,_ he continued, fingers curling tightly like an anaconda around Blue Eyes' hand. _Please don't let them hurt me._

Now the prince whined loudly. The bones in his hand were being crushed, and he felt like something was going to snap.

 _You promised, Blue Eyes! You said you would keep me safe!_

 _What are you talking about, Ash? What's going on?_

One lone tear slipped down Ash's cheek and he let go of Blue Eyes' hand. Now, instead of desperation, the prince only saw despair and defeat in those emerald orbs.

 _You said you loved me,_ he brokenly whispered.

 _Ash? What's wrong-_

Suddenly Ash was violently ripped away from Blue Eyes, and with a terrified shriek the speckled ape was seemingly dragged upwards. As if in a trance, the prince stood and followed Ash's screaming frame, who was now grabbing at something on the back of his neck. They were both rising, but there was nothing underneath them and the young prince couldn't see anybody behind his struggling mate.

Finally Ash's body stopped, and Blue Eyes stopped too. His mind was screaming to run to his mate's side, but his entire body was frozen. He could only watch as Ash was jerked sharply upwards one last time before he was falling, shrieking out in terror until a sickening, loud, wet crunch cut off his cries. He didn't move afterwards or make another sound, only laid completely still while red liquid created a dark puddle around his body.

Ash's body.

Ash's body.

His body.

Body.

Body.

Ash was dead, the realization hitting Blue Eyes harder than a gorilla and shattering his whole world.

 _No!_ His mind screamed.

 _Ash!-_

His eyes flew open, and Blue Eyes shot upwards with a heaving chest and tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked around for a moment, panicked and looking for Ash but unable to see clearly. Then, slowly but surely, his surroundings became clear. Blue Eyes realized he was in his hut, and a quick glance down revealed he was sitting in the nest he shared with his family.

Nest. The nest. He was sleeping-

It was just a dream.

Blue Eyes sighed in relief and reclined on the furs, feeling like he could finally breathe again. His tears slowed and dried, though his heart throbbed almost painfully in his chest.

' _Dream. It was only a dream,'_ Blue Eyes told himself. ' _Just a nightmare. Everything's fine. Ash is fine. Calm down.'_

Though he felt better now, Blue Eyes' mind raced. He could still see Ash being dragged away from him, his screams and the thud he made when he hit the ground ringing in the prince's ears until he was grimacing in painful remembrance. Brief shots of Ash's body flashed through his mind; those emerald eyes dead, lifeless, and staring off into nothing while lying in a puddle of his own blood.

Suddenly feeling like he was going to be sick, Blue Eyes did his best to banish the images and sounds by sitting up and observing his family instead. Surprisingly, he hadn't woken anyone. Even his mother, who laid closest to him with his new brother passed out and gently gripping the fur on her deeply rising and falling chest, was fast asleep beside him. And, as his icy eyes wandered to the other side of Cornelia's still form, he found his father. Positioned on his back with his head lying against the top of his mate's, Caesar looked the very definition of relaxed. Blue Eyes' namesakes narrowed at the thought, now slightly angry at his father for that fact. And it only grew worse as his mind wandered from his nightmare to the difficulty the two had been having lately.

Their relationship as father and son was disappearing with each passing day, and what Blue Eyes had done recently only made everything between them worse. His fingertips grazed the fresh cuts on his chest and cheek at the thought, the action bringing forth reminders of his failed hunt and the tension between him and his father. He only disobeyed because he was trying to please Caesar and prove he could operate without the older ape's constant guidance and supervision. The young prince was thoroughly sick of being stuck to Caesar's side and this figurative short leash was driving Blue Eyes crazy; yet every attempt to strive on his own failed and the leash tightened further. Caesar was getting more irate with him too, leaving Blue Eyes with the agonizing thought that he would never be good enough in his father's eyes. And with Caesar barely making any attempts to console him, his thoughts were further confirmed and he drifted farther away from his father.

Oh, and how could he forget? The humans showed up and nearly killed his mate just this morning while they were returning from an early fishing trip. Because that's just what he needed, another issue to worry about.

Obviously the nightmare had stemmed from that, even though Ash had only been grazed by the bullet and was currently sleeping in his own hut with Rocket and Tinker, wounded but otherwise alive and well. And safe, Blue Eyes had to keep telling himself. Ash was safe and nothing else was going to happen to him.

Blue Eyes wouldn't let it.

The shock of seeing a human and the loud bang of the gun had paralyzed him, leaving him unable to do anything but scream for help. He was so scared, and then the human pointed the weapon and him and yelled for help from his companions, leaving Blue Eyes to believe that they were going to kill him. But then the colony arrived, and he was able to relax enough to check on Ash.

" _They shot Ash. They shot my son,"_ Rocket had signed after he'd arrived, cradling his son in his arms as Ash's head rolled while he let out pain-filled hoots. He was talking to Caesar, but Blue Eyes saw the signs too and they filled him with rage. He promised himself that he wouldn't let fear hold him back next time, that he would charge instead of cower and do whatever he could to protect his mate. Even if that meant-

He shut down that thought before it could continue. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Tomorrow they were going to the human colony where they would warn them to stay away. Personally Blue Eyes thought attacking them instead of talking was a better idea, but Caesar had quickly shut down anything to do with violence and added yet another reason for Blue Eyes to be angry with him.

He tried to convince himself that their message would be enough and the humans would leave them alone, but Blue Eyes' mind still raced with worry and anxiety. Finally he forced himself to lay down and get comfortable on the furry pelts lining the nest. His family slept peacefully beside him, blissfully unaware of the young ape's inner turmoil. Blue Eyes wished he could be like them right now, but thoughts of his nightmare refused to relent. Ash's screams of terror echoed between his ears, and when his eyes closed the images ran like a tape set to replay. He tried to sleep for another minute or two before giving up. With a defeated sigh, he opened his eyes to stare at the dark sky and bright stars visible between the cracks in the roof.

This night was going to be a long, troublesome one. Of that, Blue Eyes was sure.

…

Dreams can be a bitch sometimes, huh? Even when they're peaceful I always know something's not right, but I always ignore it and I can't put it into words until I wake up. Anyone else have that?

Anyway, this chapter was a short one and I don't think the next one will be that much longer. Sorry, but the next ones after should be better and filled with more action, _wink-wink._

Until next time.


	7. Last Peaceful Nights

The nightmare weighed heavily on Blue Eyes' mind, and like a balloon attached to a heavy stone, it held him down and prevented him from thinking about anything else. He couldn't go back to sleep that night and simply watched the night and stars fade. After a long while, when the sky was turning pink and orange with the incoming dawn, his father 'woke him' to get ready. The apes showed their strength and mass numbers at the human colony, easily intimidating those who dwelled within. Hopefully they would abide by his father's warning, but Blue Eyes worried they would attack the apes anyway. Now that the young ape had this to worry about, alongside his nightmare, he'd been stressed and fretting all day. It was only later, when he was rolling around with Ash inside the speckled chimp's hut, that he found some sort of comforting relief.

Two weeks had passed since they'd been alone together, and they were taking full advantage of it. Rocket was there when Blue Eyes arrived but, thankfully, left soon after and allowed the young chimps to get down to business. The separation proved extremely difficult for the two lovers, so much that Ash, while he was dragging Blue Eyes towards the nest, had suggested sneaking out to sate their intense desires. That would come later. Right now, both were simply content to be near each other and show affection in private.

Blue Eyes thought they should be paying a bit more attention in case Rocket or Tinker walked in. Unlikely since Tinker was watching over a still recovering Cornelia (yet another worry plaguing his mind), while Rocket performed other duties within the colony. However, it could happen, and just the thought of it alone was usually enough to send the young prince's heart racing. But right now, with his mate's warm body on top of his own, concentrating on their surroundings was a far distant priority. A part of him realized how exposed they were right now, gripping each other and kissing in full view of whoever came inside, but he paid it no mind. Instead he tightened his grip on Ash's waist and let his fingers dig into the grey fur, pressing into the hard muscle underneath and massaging gently. Ash's body shivered with delight at the touch, pulling back with a soft sigh and panting against his mouth before kissing the prince again. Blue Eyes eagerly responded, opening his mouth and stroking Ash's tongue with his own while his mate deepened the kiss and pressed him further into the dark, furry pelts beneath them.

Originally neither had thought it wise to do this right now, but after so long without any physical contact, they ended up making out in front of the nest until Ash forced Blue Eyes down. The prince didn't fight and allowed his mate to do as he wished, situating themselves before deepening their embrace. Starting out in the middle but soon rolling from one side to the other, they constantly changed positions and stroked each other's bodies with rough, calloused hands. Finally they settled near the edge of the nest and slowed their pace, becoming more soft and gentle as they kissed. They broke apart and touched foreheads after some time, breathing slightly labored from the intense session. Now, a little more level headed than when they started, Ash rolled off Blue Eyes and laid his head on the prince's shoulder instead, staring right into his sapphire eyes. Blue Eyes smiled warmly at his mate and rested his forehead against the top of Ash's skull, losing himself in sparkling emerald eyes. The moment was peaceful, both apes relaxing and enjoying each other's warmth until Ash's soft, warm smile disappeared.

" _Did you sleep last night? You look tired,"_ he signed, head tilted curiously. " _Is everything alright?"_

" _I'm fine,"_ Blue Eyes replied internally grimacing while thinking of the nightmare. " _I just didn't sleep very much last night."_

" _Why not?"_ Now Ash smiled again, a teasing gleam in his eyes. " _Were you thinking about me?"_

" _Yes. But not in a good way,"_ he responded with a tired, worried sigh.

" _What do you mean?"_ Ash asked, suddenly serious because of the prince's tone.

With no other option, Blue Eyes told him about the dream. Ash listened intently, nuzzling his dark furred neck affectionately once he'd finished. The contact instantly calmed the frazzled prince, the heat from Ash's breath causing him to sigh in pleasure. He tilted his head back, inviting Ash to continue rubbing against him, but the grey chimpanzee backed away instead. Blue Eyes whined in protest and tried hooking his fingers around his lover's waist, but Ash pressed him more firmly into the nest and hovered over him.

" _There's no need to worry, Blue Eyes,"_ he signed once his mate was still, hoping to comfort him with soothing words and a gentle smile. " _Nothing is going to happen to me. You'll see."_

Blue Eyes angled his head, still unconvinced. " _Are you sure, Ash? What about the humans?"_

" _We warned them today. They won't threaten us again."_

" _You think they'll listen? Koba says humans are evil and greedy."_

Ash cocked his head slightly, contemplating. " _I've heard Koba's stories, too. And I believe them,"_ he admitted _. "But the one who shot me didn't look evil. Just scared."_

Blue Eyes blinked. The very idea threw him for a loop. " _How could they be scared!? We didn't do anything! He just pulled that gun out and shot you!"_ The prince's cyan eyes glanced towards Ash's shoulder, the gunshot wound still an angry, bright red that stood out painfully against his mate's dark skin. He knew the attack was unnecessary, and it made his blood boil just looking at it.

Ash sighed. " _I don't know, Blue Eyes. Maybe he thought we would do something."_

The prince's eyes narrowed. He was starting to get angry now. " _Don't defend him. He had no right to hurt you-And don't say it doesn't hurt,"_ he hurriedly continued when Ash started to protest. " _You almost cried when I touched it earlier."_ And Blue Eyes was being gentle. Even Rocket gave them a concerned look before heading off and leaving them alone. The wound had to be quite painful.

" _I bet it doesn't hurt any more than your wounds do,"_ Ash retorted, eyes narrowing in defense. The prince growled slightly at the reminder, and Ash backed off immediately. He knew he'd hit a sensitive nerve and quickly apologized. Blue Eyes grunted but nodded in acceptance. An awkward moment paused before the speckled chimp continued the conversation." _How are they?"_

" _Fine. Still painful, but not too bad,"_ he answered bluntly. Blue Eyes was eager to talk about something else. Thinking about his injuries reminded him of his failed hunt, the humiliation because of his actions and the anger at his father creating an unpleasant emotion that swelled in the young ape's chest. He glanced away from Ash momentarily and stared at the wall to their left, not wanting his mate to see the discomfort on his face. He studied the many hunting trophies Rocket displayed, pelts from prized bucks, elk, and mountain lions decorating the side of the hut. The sight only increased the bitter feeling.

Ash allowed him to stare for a short time, but regained his attention with a gentle hoot. " _Good. I'm glad to hear that."_ He started to say more, but paused before he could finish the first sign. He seemed unsure about something and stayed silent until Blue Eyes pressed him to speak. Finally, he admitted, " _They're attracting a lot of attention."_

Blue Eyes stared at him, clearly confused. " _From who?"_

" _Females. Mostly Lake."_

Blue Eyes sighed in exasperation. " _Ash-"_ he started.

" _I know,"_ He interrupted. " _We've been over this. But it still bothers me."_

" _Why? I already told you that I don't want Lake or any other female. I want you."_

Ash smiled. " _I know. But I still don't like it."_

Blue Eyes huffed slightly. " _I don't want females eyeing you, either, but what are we supposed to do?"_

Ash didn't answer and Blue Eyes didn't expect him to. Both of them knew they couldn't do anything about it; not if they wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Sure, neither would be expected -or allowed- to actually take a mate until they were a few years older, but many decided on their future spouses before then. Usually everyone knew who was going with who around a year or two before an announcement of a wedding ceremony went out.

" _We can't keep hiding forever,"_ Blue Eyes finally continued after a short period of silence. " _We can't turn every female that approaches us away."_

Ash nodded. " _I know. Our parents will suspect something."_ Then he shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what he was going to say next. " _Father's been talking to me about females lately. Giving me advice and telling me what to look for in a good mate."_ Blue Eyes swallowed hard, uncomfortable once again but for a different reason. Caesar hadn't talked with him about that yet, but he would soon. And it would be difficult to sit there and listen to his father while knowing he'd already decided on his former best friend as a mate. " _But we have to come out eventually,"_ Ash continued. " _I can't be with anyone else."_

" _I know, Ash. Me too."_ He quit signing for a moment before he let out a heavy, decisive sigh. " _When worry about the humans is mostly behind us, I think we should tell our parents."_

Ash's emerald eyes widened in alarm. " _That quickly!? Are you sure?"_

" _I know you're scared, Ash. But if we wait too long, it'll make everything worse."_ Blue Eyes broke off, thinking about Lake as he finished signing. After Ash pointed it out a few months ago, the young female's infatuation with him became obvious. He felt guilty every time he noticed her watching him when she thought he wasn't looking. He saw the affection in her eyes, yet he knew he would never return it.

Ash hooted gently, breaking his train of thought. As he stared at his mate, he noticed those leafy eyes seemed regretful too. Ash was thinking of his own female suitors, and he smiled at Blue Eyes with an understanding look on his speckled face. They both felt guilty, like they were leading those females on. Ash let out a defeated sigh and nodded to Blue Eyes, telling him that he accepted his proposal to come out before kissing him again. The young prince forgot about Lake immediately, forcing himself to focus on Ash as he flipped their positions and stroked his mate's lips and tongue with his own. Both were under a lot of stress right now, and they wanted to spend whatever time they had left in each other's arms.

If only they knew what was coming, they'd have enjoyed their last meeting later that night even more. They would've made sure to vividly remember every single moment, to the time they met outside the gate and walked hand in hand to Blue Eyes' cave, to when they called out each other's names in ecstasy during the passionate mating session that followed. Each other's mouths and tongues, their musky scent, and their warmth; the two would've made it all last. And whether it was sex, kissing, or just being in each other's presence, they would have made everything count.

If only they'd known they might be torn apart


	8. The Fighting Begins

This wasn't how Blue Eyes thought it would go. He expected warring with the humans to be exhilarating and glory filled, charging towards them with spears and bows and taking out their army in a single blow. Maybe even somewhat scary, but not terrifying. Not deadly. And not this horrifying.

He was a fool. An absolute bloody fool.

The young ape, still reeling from the battle as he walked through the hole in the human colony's outer wall, stood still within. The sky was dark with black clouds that concealed the moon, yet his shadow danced along the ruined ground due to the fires that raged behind him. He glanced back, the intensity of the red-orange flames burning his eyes while the memories, fresh and raw, replayed inside his head. Watching those he'd known for years being shot of their horses, blood spurting from their chests or heads along with their dying cries. Others being blown up, the pieces and blood and guts flying this way and that. And those who were set on fire after the explosion, screaming as their bodies were engulfed in fire and filling the air with the sickening scent of burning flesh and fur.

Blue Eyes looked away and closed his eyes. Just the thought of it made him sick.

But it was worse knowing that their fates could've been his. It could easily have been his skin being seared by flames, his body being torn apart, or his chest being riddled with bullet holes. The thought filled him with dread and fear, yet this battle was only the beginning. Already he wanted to be done. He wanted to go back home and return to the peace he'd known all his life in the forest. To his mother and his fath-

The tears sprung quickly, eyes growing watery and salty simply by thinking of him. The young quickly swiped at his eyes with a shaky palm, hoping no one would notice. Not that it mattered right now, since none of the apes nearby were paying attention to him.

All but one.

Ash came up from behind him and stood with the prince as they looked upon the human colony, the shrieks of the humans and apes both terrified and angry ringing in their heads. Thankfully, Ash had been beside him for most of the time, as had Rocket and Luca. Unfortunately, the bulky, silver chimpanzee and the leader of the gorilla guard were nowhere to be seen, leaving the two young chimps by themselves. A small trickle of apes still passed the two, giving them both questioning looks before moving on to where more fighting was taking place. Soon they were the only living beings in the area, the place void of anyone else, but that was fine with Blue Eyes.

He couldn't handle another fight, and he felt like he was going to break.

Ash stared into his eyes the entire time they stood there, watching as the prince's eyes became more glassy despite his efforts to hide it. Finally, after making sure all other apes had gone, he lifted one hand and placed it on Blue Eyes' cheek, wiping away the tears with a thumb and stroking his face. Blue Eyes leaned into his lover's hand, desperate for the comfort it provided.

"A-Ash," he croaked, feeling his body beginning to shake. "Please," he whimpered, not that he knew what he was asking for. Ash swallowed, clearly bothered by his mate's tortured tone. He said nothing, but let his hand slide down from Blue Eye's face, tracing his shoulder and arm until he reached the prince's hand. The young ape gripped it tightly, rubbing the back gently before tossing his head and gesturing inside the wall.

"Follow me," he said, turning away and finally entering the human colony while pulling Blue Eyes with him. The prince followed without complaint, letting Ash lead him away from the direction the other apes had gone. The two veered to the right instead, where multiple human huts stood tall. Ash brought him inside the one closest to the wall, and they entered after figuring out how to open the door. Blue Eyes, relieved to be away from the smokey sky and the thick smell of roasted ape flesh, shut it behind him and the two headed deeper within.

It was strange for both of them. All that lay in their path was a long hallway with several doors on both sides. Ash brought him down the corridor a short way before picking one at random and opening it. Then he entered and closed the door behind them. While looking around the dark room, they both noted it was decently sized, furnished with decorations adorning the walls and a soft material beneath their feet. Ash squeezed Blue Eyes' hand after a long stretch of silence and glanced at him. Never once had they let go.

"Long day," Ash whispered. "Hard night. We rest. Join apes. Tomorrow."

Blue Eyes nodded and looked towards their right, where another entryway led to more of the human home. Ash squeezed his hand again and they continued. First they explored the entire apartment, looking for any hiding humans with their guns ready. When they were sure they were alone, Ash lead Blue Eyes to what, he assumed, was where the humans slept. The room, like most of the others, was a decent size with a large, square piece of furniture in the middle and more wooden shapes with pictures of humans on the wall. Blue Eyes assumed the structure in the middle served as a nest. It was dark, soft, and inviting to the touch, and Blue Eyes finally released Ash's hand to sit on it. The speckled chimp took their guns and placed them on the floor nearby before taking a couple moments to stretch his weary muscles.

Blue Eyes watched Ash momentarily, his mind racing too quickly to appreciate the view as he normally would've done. The memories still haunted the young ape's mind, causing him to rock back and forth, trying but failing to comfort himself. The colony flashed behind his icy eyes, lit aflame and taking away the only home he ever knew. Next came the apes he'd known since childhood, and the various ways they died by human hands. Then a booming gunshot, and his father falling off that cliff...

" _I love you! I love you! I love you!"_ he signed over and over again to thin air, imagining his Caesar was standing before him. He wished he'd told his father that one more time, or maybe had been less angry and rebellious. He thought of how much they'd fought in the last few days, how he refused any affection from the older chimp and pushed him away at every turn. The fact that those would be some of Caesar's final memories of his son was like a punch to the gut. Even back then, when his stubborn mind remained angry and hostile, all Blue Eyes had ever wanted was to be accepted by his father, to please him.

But he would not have that chance now, not ever again. Caesar was dead and the young ape's family was torn apart.

Forever.

Then the crying started, through the tears had been streaming down his face already. He couldn't hold it in anymore, his chest cracking under the pressure while he let out loud, sobbing wails. The impact was coming down on Blue Eyes, and his heart and mind were breaking under the weight of it.

Ash's sudden touch startled him, and the young ape jumped as the speckled chimp pulled him into his arms. But he relaxed quickly at the familiar scent and warmth and let his body melt into Ash's. He gripped him tightly and soaked the grey fur of his neck with salty tears, his noises echoing around the room despite being muffled. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, Ash trying to comfort him while he cried and cried. He eventually stopped and laid his head on Ash's shoulder, but the tears refused to relent. Blue Eyes didn't think they would stop. The pain wracking his heart certainly wasn't.

" _I take it back!"_ Blue Eyes suddenly signed. " _I want to take it all back!"_

Ash jumped at the out of nowhere signing, surprised by the movement. " _Take what back?"_

" _Everything I said about going to war! About fighting the humans! All of it! My father was right! I was so stupid! Please...Just make this go away."_

" _I can't,"_ Ash signed, tears freely flowing from his own eyes as he watched his mate suffer. " _I'm so sorry, Blue Eyes."_

That sent the prince sobbing again, even worse than before. His breath was coming in panicked gasps, heart fluttering in his chest as fear and anxiety mixed with the already overwhelming hopelessness and sadness within him. He'd lost so much tonight, and Ash was one of the few things he had left to lose. If the speckled chimp was taken from him, he wouldn't be able to survive. Such a loss would destroy any remaining fight he had left.

" _Please!_ " The prince continued, signs coming faster as he grew more agitated. " _I can't do this, Ash! I can't handle it! I just want to go home! I want my father back! I can't…"_

"Blue Eyes!" Ash interrupted, voice strong and clear despite his tears. It broke the prince from his ramblings, forcing him to focus on his mate as the other continued in sign." _You've lost so much tonight. And I'm so sorry, for everything. But we can't go home, and Caesar isn't coming back."_ Ash's words tore at Blue Eyes like the bear that had left him scarred, and he felt like he was going to shatter into pieces. But then Ash pushed onwards. Out loud. "You still. Have me. Blue Eyes. You will. Always. Have me. I will. Never leave. You. I promise."

Blue Eyes swallowed and sniffled, shaking violently in Ash's arms. "N...Never. Leave," he echoed, voice unsteady and begging for the one thing that would see him through all this.

"Never," Ash promised, placing his forehead against Blue Eyes' while closing his eyes. The prince pushed back against him, sealing the vow as Ash held him.

The two stayed in that position for a long time, Ash gently rocking Blue Eyes like a child. The overwhelmed prince held on like a child too, until the tears finally stopped flowing. Even then they refused to separate, and Blue Eyes tried his best to regain his composure. Though he wasn't crying anymore, the memories refused to relent and tormented his already wounded heart, cutting into it like shards of glass and leaving behind their traces. He knew that he'd eventually have to right himself and dig the pieces out. But something like that was far more than the prince was prepared to handle. So right now, after everything that happened, he decided to forget for a little while. His sanity depended on it.

"Ash?" he finally croaked, voice hoarse from overuse. The speckled chimp's eyes opened, but he didn't move otherwise and nodded for Blue Eyes to go on. In sign, the young ape continued, " _I know I can't change what happened, but I need a break from it. Please help me…"_

Ash pulled back and straightened up. He immediately knew what the prince was asking for and seemed surprised at the request, but not at all unwilling to grant it. "A break," he finally said.

"A break," Blue Eyes agreed, gaze unguarded and desperate.

Ash nodded again and released him. He glanced behind the prince, to where the soft material of the human nest waited."Lie down."

Blue Eyes heeded to the command and reclined against the bed, sinking a few inches into the soft mattress. Ash allowed him to get comfortable before he moved over top of him. He pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, then moved onto Blue Eyes' cheeks. There he kissed the smooth skin and gently licked the tears away, tasting the salt on his tongue while Blue Eyes shivered. He did this to both sides before pulling back to meet his lover's eyes. Ash stared deeply into them, glassy pools of sapphire lined with red, the eyes of someone forced through unimaginable suffering and grief. Ash cupped Blue Eyes' face and smiled gently, trying his best to ease the pain. The prince shot a similar look back and touched Ash's face with his own hand, eager to accept anything the other would give him. They stayed there for a few moments and enjoyed the intimacy of their touch until Ash kissed Blue Eyes again.

Blue Eyes griped Ash tightly, needing to feel his mate's fur and warmth beneath his fingertips. The the grey chimp's hands came to rest on both sides of his head, stroking his pale face with his calloused thumbs. Their tongues danced around each other, stroking gently as they deepened the kiss. They kept a slower pace for some time but grew more heavy and heated as arousal built up within them, all the stress during the previous hours demanding release. Such a buildup of pressure left the prince more sensitive than usual, and a gentle thrust of the hips from Ash had him groaning in pleasure and hastily pushing back against his movements.

The young prince suddenly pulled away, eyes desperate as he whined, "Please Ash!"

Ash was once again left surprised at the sudden demand, but eventually straightened and observed Blue Eyes for a moment. The prince met his mate's emerald eyes, chest heaving and body burning with unsatisfied desire. He waited with anticipation, nearly shuddering with relief when Ash finally placed his hands on the prince's dark-furred thighs and rubbed them gently. Blue Eyes sighed and let himself relax in Ash's hold, those skilled hands continuing their leg massage. His breath quickened as Ash stroked upwards one more time, rubbing the fur against the grain before closing in on his inner thighs and palming his stiff erection.

Blue Eyes grunted and thrusted into his hand, eagar for the contact. Ash pumped him a few times, making sure the prince was hard before leaning down and running his tongue along the side. The prince hissed, those emerald eyes taunting him as wet heat soaked into his sensitive flesh. That hiss became a growl as Ash licked him again, slowly dragging his tongue upwards. He gave a few more slow, teasing laps with his wet flesh until the prince was panting from the stimulation. Then he grasped Blue Eyes' hips, making sure to pin them down before taking the head into his mouth. The prince tried to buck upwards the second his mate wrapped his lips around his length, but Ash held fast and forced him to stay still. He suckled gently as if he was a nursing infant, sending Blue Eyes' entire body into shivers and spasms. Then he ran his tongue around the head, feeling the hardened organ swell even further under his skilled touch. Soon, after a lot of begging from Blue Eyes, Ash began to take more into his mouth.

During their secret meetings, the two young apes had learned a lot about each other. especially when it came to sexual acts; Particularly what each other liked or didn't like and what drove them crazy. Ash in particular knew that teasing his mate with a slower pace would do the trick, driving him wild and therefore distracting him from his inner turmoil. So he bobbed his head slowly, mouth and throat contracting hard despite his placid pace. The sounds Ash made were loud and provocative, a wet sucking sound echoing throughout the room. Damp, slick muscle firmly caressed the throbbing shaft, Ash's lips digging into the hard flesh and massaging firmly.

Under this kind of torture, it wasn't long before Blue Eyes released with a shrieking cry. Ash stayed put and let the prince finish before swallowing everything his mate gave with ease. Blue Eyes was left panting heavily, chest still heaving as let out another needy moan when Ash began to tease the over-sensitized organ again. He allowed himself to drown in the oral pleasure for a short time, but eventually propped himself on his elbows and hooted softly, gaining Ash's attention.

"Come...Please," he begged, the need in his voice raw and overpowering. "I need. To feel you." Although the pleasure was intense already, he wanted Ash's weight on top of him. He desired, no, _needed_ their bodies pressed together, to feel that familiar warmth surrounding him as his mate rutted against him.

Ash nodded before his head rose from its place between the prince's legs and moved overtop of him. His knee gently nudged Blue Eyes' thighs and the prince quickly complied, spreading his legs for his mate. The grey-furred chimp rested his hips between them and pressed himself against Blue Eyes, immediately grinding against the darker-furred ape with firm movements. The prince shuddered and hooked his legs around Ash while he pulled the speckled ape further atop his body. Caged within his lover's arms and gasping from the stimulation, he moved in for another kiss and griped Ash's hand. Their tongues wrestled with harsh strokes while they increased the pace of their thrusts. Soon Ash had one arm braced above Blue Eyes' head, the entire bed vibrating and squeaking loudly as he slammed against the prince.

Blue Eyes wrenched his mouth away from Ash's and cried out, holding the other tightly as he shouted his name. The dark grey ape made similar calls as Blue Eyes' name dripped from his lips, thought the prince could hardly hear it over the blood roaring in his ears. The throbbing pleasure was building far too fast for him to handle and he shook with overwhelmed ecstasy. His nerves were nearly overloaded with the intense sensation, and he was so receptive to everything; Ash's fur brushing against his own, heated breath washing over his face as they kissed again, and the occasional skin on skin contact when their erections rubbed together. He was throbbing so heavily now. Only a moment more…

Finally the pressure snapped and the prince shrieked, his entire body jerking as if he was being electrocuted. His orgasm wracked his body, leaving him completely helpless as he mewled and clawed at Ash's back, even after the other had gone stiff and was groaning in his ear. They rode the waves of pleasure together, gripping one another tightly until the pulses faded and they collapsed back onto the soft mattress. This part was familiar for them, panting against each other and trying to catch their breath with hot air and the smell of sex surrounding them. Ash calmed down first, began to tease Blue Eyes' neck with sharp nips and gentle licks until his heart rate slowed. Then their lips met again, passionate despite coming down from their lust filled high.

But once simply wasn't enough for the two. Especially not for the distraught prince.

So they kept going, only resting during and right after releasing before continuing to grind into each other. Blue Eyes quickly lost count of not only how many times he'd orgasmed, but also how long they'd been mating. But the lack of awareness didn't bother him and he allowed himself to drown in the pleasure. Reality twisted in that moment so all that existed in the young ape's world was his own pleasure and that of his mate's. Everything else remained buried in the back of his mind, and would hopefully remain confined there while letting the prince have a much needed peace-filled night.

Eventually they had to stop once exhaustion caught up with them, and they collapsed for the final time. Even now, after the pleasure of release had faded away, both shook badly from over-exertion. It was definitely the most intense session they'd ever had, despite not being able to mount one another, and both were still unstable after many minutes spent recovering. But just when Blue Eyes was starting to wonder if they would sleep like this, with Ash laying on top of him, his mate finally worked up the energy to lift himself to his knees with shaky limbs. The prince followed wordlessly when Ash gestured for him to stand, nearly falling down on his way up, and stood silently on trembling knees while the speckled chimp ripped the black material off the human nest. To the surprise of them both, more material remained underneath. But it was clean, so Ash left it and turned back to Blue Eyes.

They looked each other over, shaking their heads in amusement at what they saw. Both were an absolute mess. Their fur was disheveled and tangled in many places all over their bodies, as well as damp with sweat and dirt. But their lower halves were the worst, with most of the fur from their lower abdomens and down between their inner thighs sticky with fluid. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but neither had enough energy to even attempt to clean up. Instead they crawled back into the stripped nest and cuddled together.

Blue Eyes finally allowed himself to fully relax, head laying against Ash's chest and neck while the other wrapped his arms around his waist. He could feel Ash's pulse against his temple, beating a soft rhythm that was lulling him into a deep sleep. But a random thought entered his before he fell unconscious, and Blue Eyes suddenly chuckled. Ash gave a confused hoot, cocking his head when the prince met his eyes.

" _We're finally spending the night together,"_ he explained. " _We've wanted it for months. Now we have it, but only after all this…"_ Ash nodded solemnly as he trailed off, a sad smile on his face. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.

"Enjoy what. We have," he said as a response, tightening his grip on Blue Eyes. The prince smiled and kissed Ash one more time, soft and sweet as their lips brushed together. He laid back down once they parted, his mate's gentle heartbeat and warmth wrapping around him like a cocoon and quickly pulling him under. Soon he was asleep in his mate's arms, the pulsing against his temple slowing down as Ash did the same.

Off to the side of their resting bodies, their hands lay joined together on top of the mattress, grip much softer now that the two had fallen into sleep's deep embrace. And although that physical connection would break when they woke the next morning, they both dreamed of a future together where the mental bond they created would never be severed.

But wishing for something is hardly ever enough to make it a reality, and despite being aware of that fact, they never judged how bad things could truly get. Especially now that their previously peaceful society was gone, replaced with bloodthirsty savages ready to wage war while being lead by someone whose mind was damaged and twisted into something much darker than anyone could predict.

Now, in this new chapter of ape society, such a bond could prove dangerous for the two.

Or even deadly.


	9. Something's Wrong

The slow rising and falling motion of his head is what stirred the scarred prince awake, eyes blinking open lethargically as he fought to stay conscious. But with the gentle warmth of his mate's fur soaking into his body, that in itself was a difficult task. Eventually he steeled himself enough to groggily lift his head off Ash's chest. His eyes opened and closed on their own, still fighting to go back to sleep until he released Ash's hand to rub the sleep out of them. He rose as he did so, only to feel something slide from his head and run down his back. Blue Eyes turned and glanced at it, surprised to see Ash's other hand. He must've placed it there during the night after the prince had fallen asleep.

The young ape turned back to Ash and placed his hand where his head had previously lain. He stared at his mate and took in all the details. Memories of last night came flooding back, everything from the battle to the sex that occurred between them. A harsh grimace came onto his smooth face at the thought of the fight, the screams of his dying brethren ringing between his ears. But thankfully, it felt more manageable now that some time had passed.

A soft sigh drew his attention back to Ash, and he smiled gently as emerald eyes blinked open. The grey chimpanzee met his gaze and shot a smile back before stretching, mouth opening wide in a yawn.

"Good morning," Blue Eyes whispered as he twirled some of Ash's chest fur around his finger.

"Morning," Ash said back. Then, just when Blue Eyes was going to lean down for a kiss, Ash reached up and pulled the prince further atop him.

Blue Eyes chuckled at his mate, and his smile grew as he nuzzled his cheek. The other sighed, clearly delighted by the attention as he turned his head and pressed their lips together. One hand moved to Ash's speckled cheek, and the prince cupped it while his mate's nimble fingers combed through the dark fur on his back. The prince shivered at the touch and deepened the kiss, moaning softly as Ash's arms encircled his body. The two stayed for a short time, enjoying the embrace until Blue Eyes ended the kiss. Their brows were still touching, and the two lovers smiled at each other.

" _I wish we could stay here,"_ Ash signed, Blue Eyes' namesakes flicking from his emerald orbs to his hand to read his signs.

" _Me too. But we have to leave soon. The others are probably wondering where we are."_

" _Soon,"_ Ash agreed, eyes developing that mischievous glint Blue Eyes loved. " _But not right now."_

" _Ash…"_ Blue Eyes started.

"Apes can wait," he muttered, sitting up and while pulling Blue Eyes forward, the two now chest to chest with the prince straddling his lap. Blue Eyes tried to argue, but Ash kissed him again before he could sign a full sentence. This one was quicker than their last, as Ash ended it quickly and pushed Blue Eyes on his back whilst leaning over him.

"I will not," he declared and brought his lips to his mate's again. Once their mouths touched, the prince dropped it completely and wrapped his arms around Ash's thick neck. His lips parted, and any thoughts about the outside world faded when his mate's tongue slipped into his mouth. Blue Eyes groaned, playfully snarling against Ash's lips while the grey chimp's tongue danced with his.

They eventually parted with a small 'pop' and a sharp gasp from both of them. The prince watched as Ash pulled away again, his mate now observing him heavy eyes.

" _Are you okay now?"_ Ash asked, shooting him a sympathetic look.

" _I think so. I feel a little better."_

The grey chimp sighed, and Blue Eyes could tell that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. But he still accepted it regardless and nipped playfully at his chin.

"Then let me...Help you," he suggested before moving down the prince's neck, parting the dark fur and teasing the sensitive skin with his sharp canines. Blue Eyes quickly began to pant from the stimulation, but still pushed insistently at Ash's chest.

"Ash. Stop!" he commanded, getting his mate's attention immediately. His speckled head lifted and his confused eyes met the prince's.

" _I appreciate it,"_ Blue Eyes continued in sign. " _But we really need to leave soon. We should try to find Rocket or Maurice."_

Ash wasn't happy, but after being reminded about his father, he finally nodded and backed away without complaint. He sat to the side on his knees and watched as Blue Eyes sat up. The prince smiled apologetically and pressed a small, placating kiss to his lips as he muttered a suggestion about continuing the sex later that night. That seemed to satisfy Ash, who grinned and helped the prince off the bed. As they rose, Blue Eyes groaned in discomfort as the crusty fur between his legs rubbed together. Maybe they should have cleaned up after all. Ash chuckled at his mate, though he wasn't in a much better condition.

" _We can't go back like this,"_ he signed to Ash.

" _The humans might have something here that can help us,"_ Ash responded, glancing at their surroundings and gesturing to the doorway. " _Check the room by the entrance. I'll search around here."_

Blue Eyes nodded and left Ash in the bedroom, returning to the room in question while looking over everything quizzically. When that yielded nothing, he tried another room adjacent to this one. Though it had plenty of storage spaces, aside from what, Blue Eyes assumed to be, was food in strange containers, he found nothing. With no luck and no way out except for the way he came, he retraced his footsteps and went back into the previous room. He was just starting to look for another room to explore when Ash called out his name. Blue Eyes turned in the direction of his voice and broke off from his search to join him.

His mate was in one of the rooms they'd explored last night, an extremely peculiar one with a sheet of reflective glass on the wall and a pale, white basin surrounded by some weird human fabric. They'd pulled the fabric back last night to check for humans, but nothing was there except for shiny, metal structures coming out of the wall. Blue Eyes shot Ash a questioning look as he entered, but Ash only gestured for him to come closer. The prince approached and watched as his mate turned one of the silver knobs. Once he did, water began to fall like rain from another silver device, further up the wall from the knobs. Blue Eyes' jaw nearly dropped in surprise. Humans and their endless weird devices.

"How?" he asked.

Ash shrugged. " _I don't know. But I think this is what humans use to bathe."_

" _They don't go to a river?"_

" _I guess not."_

Blue Eyes was still extremely perplexed, but sighed heavily and dropped it. This would get them clean. That's all that mattered.

At least until Ash stuck his hand into the falling water and pulled back with a high pitched shriek. Blue Eyes jumped at the loud sound, but closed the distance between them and gently pulled his hand towards him to look at the afflicted limb.

" _Hot,"_ Ash explained with his uninjured hand when Blue Eyes gave him another questioning look. " _Very hot. Like fire."_

The prince went back to his examination. Ash looked fine, so he stepped back and swiftly maneuvered around him. He approached the basin and appraised it curiously. There were two knobs. Ash had already turned one, so he turned the other while avoiding the scalding fire-water. He waited for a short period of time, then stuck his hand under the falling liquid. Ash barked in warning, though it was unnecessary now.

" _Cooler now,"_ Blue Eyes stated. " _Not hot."_

Ash blinked twice, then tested the water again and let out a confirming hoot.

" _Nice now,"_ he commented.

The two looked at each other once, then Blue Eyes stepped into the basin and directly under the water. He held out his hand to Ash, who took it and got in behind him. They both could stand in it, though the basin was too small width-wise for them both to wash together. So Ash stayed back and watched Blue Eyes clean himself.

It was strange to have warm water raining down on them, but Blue Eyes immediately preferred it over the bitter cold river water they were used to. His body relaxed underneath it while his hands combed through the fur on his legs, trying to wash the dried fluid off him. He felt his mate's attention on him the entire time, but it wasn't until his fur was clean that he finally gave in and turned towards him.

" _What?"_ He signed.

" _Nothing,"_ Ash replied. " _I'm just enjoying the view."_

Blue Eyes laughed, his eyes rolling while he stepped around Ash to let him have access to the water. His mate shot him a playful smile as he stepped underneath the falling liquid and began bathing himself. Blue Eyes kept his gaze on his hands, watching as they stroked up and down his body. Unlike himself, his mate was far slower, almost teasing as he traced his powerful thigh muscles. Once Ash was finished cleaning the knots and fluid from his own fur, he turned back to Blue Eyes.

" _And what are you doing?"_ he signed, eyes glinting playfully with a hint of lust shining through.

" _Nothing. Just enjoying the view,"_ Blue Eyes parroted, shooting back the playful look.

He regretted it instantly, because Ash had him pressed against the wall before another moment could pass. His mate returned his attention to the prince's throat and nibbled gently, letting his tongue run from the base to where the skin connected to the young ape's head. The prince could feel Ash's sharp canines digging into him, almost threatening to bite as he continued to tease the heated flesh. Blue Eyes shivered with pleasure, flushing with desire at his mate's possessive hold. But he still pushed at Ash's chest and tried to free himself.

"Ash. No!" he hissed. "No sex! We are. Clean now!"

"No sex," Ash agreed, halting his torturous tease to straighten up and look the prince in his icy eyes. " _We'll do that tonight. But can we kiss for a while? Please, Blue Eyes."_

" _Your father…"_

"Not long," Ash muttered before leaning in. His mouth gently brushed against Blue Eyes', a teasing swipe that left the prince hungry for more. Despite his earlier hesitance, he found himself sinking into Ash's arms.

"We shouldn't," Blue Eyes whispered, but still kissed Ash again when the other pulled back. His arms slipped around Ash's body, gripping him tightly while the grey chimp's circled his waist.

Blue Eyes would have to remember how relaxing being here with his mate was, the warm water bearing down and surrounding them with a comfy heat, one that he deeply appreciated as he slid his fingers through damp, grey fur. He felt Ash's digits do the same and groaned into his mouth, letting his tongue caress his mate's slowly. Soon they grew more heated, and their placid pace speed as the warmth of Ash's thick hands burned into his hips. He rubbed circles into them, but soon used the solid hold to lift Blue Eyes off the ground and into his arms. The prince gasped but allowed it, and put up no fight as Ash laid him on the basin's floor.

They parted for a moment, a string of saliva connecting them as they gazed into each other's eyes. Ash's were absolutely breathtaking, nearly burning in their intensity. Blue Eyes could see desire and lust within them, but also detected love and longing in the emerald depths. At a loss for words, he lifted one hand to Ash's cheek instead, his calloused thumb brushing the skin in an affectionate gesture. The grey chimp smiled at him and lowered his head, allowing their foreheads to touch. They continued to stare into each other for a time, until Blue Eyes' other hand went behind Ash's head and brought their lips together again.

In that moment, with Ash against him, alive and safe in his arms with the humidity of the shower all around them, Blue Eyes allowed himself to think that this new world wasn't all bad. Though they would have to go back out and face the storm eventually, he wasn't going to be alone. Ash was with him, and nothing was going to change that.

Later would be difficult, but right now, everything was alright.

…

A long while later and the two lovers were finally heading out the door, guns in hand and fur dried thanks to some soft pieces of human cloth they discovered in the bathing room. They quickly retraced their steps from the night before and exited the human building. The sky was a brilliant blue and without a cloud in sight. Birds could even be heard chirping nearby. The scene was almost innocent, if it wasn't for the faint smell of burned wood in the air.

Blue Eyes tensed at the fresh memories it dug up, but quickly pushed them away and glanced up. The sun was directly overhead, meaning he and Ash had spent far longer than he realized away from the other apes. He turned to Ash and pointed at the bright star, shooting him a slight glare as well. His mate smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, signing an apology once he was done. Blue Eyes sighed, but nonetheless forgave him and allowed Ash to take the lead.

It wasn't hard to find where their fellow apes had gone, the noise of them all hooting and shouting was a dead giveaway. They soon came across the crowd, and began the search for either Rocket or Maurice. The apes around them paid no mind to either of them at first, but were so rude as to shove them out of the way if they crossed paths. Blue Eyes looked after one who had roughly bumped both of them in the shoulder as he passed, confused about their new attitude. He'd never seen apes act this way, and it made him uneasy.

A loud call caught his attention, and he turned to see Koba and some of his guards approaching. The older ape stopped when he was close enough, looking over both of them with an angry expression on his gnarled face.

" _Where were you two last night?,"_ he demanded, his one good eye narrowing in distaste. " _You disappeared."_

" _Sorry, Koba,"_ Ash answered. " _We didn't mean to…"_

" _Where were you?"_ Koba repeated, cutting Ash off mid sign.

" _Resting,"_ Blue Eyes replied, now jumping in. " _We were both tired."_

Koba's scowl deepened, and he glared at the young prince as though he had committed an atrocious act.

" _You should have stayed with apes!"_ He accused. " _Especially you, Blue Eyes. Or do you not care about what humans took from you?"_

" _I do. I do,"_ Blue Eyes signed quickly, anxious under the intense scrutiny. " _It's just that…"_

" _Enough. You two have already wasted much of the day because you were too weak to fight."_

" _We aren't weak, Koba,"_ Ash argued. " _We only needed…"_

Koba silenced Ash with a loud, guttural snarl, his one good eye blazing in his anger. Both young apes startled, surprised at being treated this way by the normally reasonable bonobo. Where was the uncle who had told them stories when they were younger, or had a hand in training them when they reached adolescence?

Koba's attitude had the ape prince's uneasiness turning into something like fear, and he found himself signing, " _Sorry,"_ hoping to diffuse the tension between them.

" _You should be,"_ Koba responded, icy and hostile towards his young, honorary nephew.

Though he still felt like his body was weighed down with lead, Blue Eyes shakily managed to maneuver down on one knee and offer a supplicating palm. He breathlessly waited, but never felt Koba's rough, leathery fingers gliding across his calloused palm. Instead the scarred warrior gave another angry snort and turned away, other nearby apes nearly jumping to get out of his way. Blue Eyes' head lifted soon after, staring after his uncle as he staggered back to his feet.

Koba walked for a ways, but turned back and fixed the two with a glare colder than Blue Eyes' icy orbs. " _You two better start proving your loyalty to apes. And soon. Or else."_ Then he left the area, the still agitated apes creating a barrier between Koba and the two lovers as they went about their business. But even though the older ape was gone, his threat still seemed to suck all the oxygen out of the air.

As much as Blue Eyes didn't want to, he couldn't help but think this wasn't the same uncle he'd known all his life. The Koba he'd grown up with never left him shaking in his wake, or had threatened him in such a way. And his challenge of Blue Eyes' loyalty to apes left a bad taste in his mouth.

But the worst was the thought that, if the two wern't careful, this new ape could be their most dangerous threat.

Maybe even worse than the humans.

…

As terrified as they were, Blue Eyes and Ash immediately sought to 'prove their loyalty' by joining a departing group preparing to hunt humans. The others barely spared the two youngsters a glance, but allowed them to tag along. Within minutes of Ash and Blue Eyes' arrival, they were all charging into the strange human colony.

They soon found a few, and the group slowly became smaller as individuals broke off to lead the humans back to the cages. Blue Eyes was sure many of them wouldn't even make it back, as the apes seemed to take great pleasure in beating many of them senseless. Already, two of the humans they found had died because of the harsh treatment. The first an older man wielding a blunt, metal stick, and the second a defenseless, unarmed female whose only mistake was to cry too loud. She probably wasn't much older than Blue Eyes himself.

Even though she was human, the prince found himself wishing she had gotten away from them. She didn't deserve to die like that.

He'd looked towards Ash while the others were beating her, and the look in his mate's leafy eyes told him he felt the same.

Finally, when Blue Eyes was starting to wonder how much more he could take, the others decided to head back. The prince was happy about this, but any positivity quickly disappeared when they intercepted a small group of humans on the way. These ones, unfortunately, were armed, and a brutal fight broke out. Thankfully neither Blue Eyes or Ash were shot, but the skirmish claimed the lives of two other apes in their group. One was right beside the prince when he died, and Blue Eyes doubted he would forget the moment a bullet entered the ape's head, blood and bone and bits of brain spewing out the back.

Eventually they managed to subdue the humans, shooting the dead more than once to ensure none would get up. They only took one prisoner, an old, grizzled man with brown locks and grey stubble who surrendered when he was surrounded. Once the others were satisfied, they headed back to the rest of the apes, Blue Eyes and Ash close behind. But as they walked, the prince noticed the human staring at him and turned to meet his gaze.

"Hey, I remember you!" He exclaimed. "You were upfront with your leader a few days ago. The one who gave the bag back."

The prince blinked, surprised, but nodded.

The man held his gaze for a moment longer, looking straight through wire-rimmed glasses before his face contorted in anger and he nearly shouted, "Your leader promised apes didn't want war! And then you do this !? Guess you animals are nothing but liars after all!"

Blue Eyes recoiled as if he'd been slapped, but another chimp nearby reacted and slammed the butt of his gun into the human's back, a warning to be quiet and keep going. The man glared at the prince for a moment more, but turned away and walked with the others. Blue Eyes paused for a moment, unsure how to react, but quickly shook it off and kept pace with the others.

He couldn't wait for night to fall.

…

The prince made sure to walk behind the others the entire way back, just so he wouldn't have to feel those human's eyes on him. Only Ash stayed by his side.

It was late afternoon by the time they returned, and the sun was already starting to go down. They followed the group for a ways, and watched as they shoved the human in with the others. Most were screaming, some angry, some in pain, some dying from previous wounds. Not that it mattered. All were left in that cramped cage, including the dead.

Blue Eyes swallowed hard, trying to banish the thought. He turned to Ash, intending to ask him about looking for Rocket and Maurice.

But the speckled chimp was no longer by his side.

He stayed put at first, stunned into stillness, but quickly started hooting for his mate. He didn't want to be alone, especially not after what happened today. Luckily for him, Ash reappeared soon after, though his face was haunted and grim. Before he could ask what was wrong, his mate beckoned him to follow and turned away again. Blue Eyes obeyed, and allowed Ash to lead him a short way from the human cages.

Turns out, they didn't have to go far to find Rocket and Maurice after all. Or even Luca. Because all three, and a handful of others, were sitting in a large, strange looking cage with chains around their wrists.

Blue Eyes, his mind too overrun to react straight away, froze at the sight. But Ash ran right up to the cage, straight to his father. He stuck his hands through the bars and grasped Rocket's hands, whimpering worriedly while the bulky chimpanzee did his best to soothe his son. Blue Eyes observed them momentarily before a low, throaty hoot captured his attention. He turned towards the sound, only to meet beady, green eyes and large, leathery flaps surrounded by shaggy red hair.

" _Maurice?"_ He signed, approaching the cage calmly despite his insides turning with fear and anxiety.

" _Koba said we're too loyal to your father,"_ his old teacher explained, struggling to sign with the chains restricting his range of motion.

" _Protect yourself,"_ he continued, after Blue Eyes failed to respond. The prince managed a shaky nod and, though he loathed to do so, turned away to approach his distressed mate.

Rocket was trying to calm him down, but Ash was quickly getting hysterical. His eyes were lined with tears and loud, panicked hoots poured from his mouth. He was starting to attract the attention of other apes, but didn't seem to notice.

"Ash?" Blue Eyes whispered as he approached, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ash turned to look, terrified at first until he realized it was only him.

" _We have to get them out!"_ he declared. " _Please, Blue Eyes! Help me!"_

" _What!? Ash, we can't…"_

Something slammed into Blue Eyes' side, sending him sprawling into Ash before both fell to the ground. The prince groaned and clutched his side, which was aching from the force of the blow. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ash looking at him worriedly. He tried to sign, "I'm okay," but a loud snort interrupted him. It was from another ape, likely one of the guards. He stood over them with a gun clutched in his fists, no respect or compassion in his hard eyes.

" _Move along,"_ he commanded, signs sharp and angry.

" _We weren't doing anything!"_ Blue Eyes protested as he rose to his feet. The other ape tracked his movements, as if he considered him a threat.

" _I won't tell you again,"_ the guard warned, eyes jumping to the side as Ash stood too.

" _Please,"_ the speckled chimp begged from beside him. " _I just want to see my father! I…"_

The guard suddenly leapt forward and shoved them back again, this time with the gun. The two lovers staggered, but managed to stay on their feet this time. Rocket, Maurice, and the others could be heard hooting nervously from the cage.

"Leave now!" He snarled aloud. Blue Eyes growled right back at him and marched towards the guard, sick of being pushed around and intending to give him a piece of his mind. He could hear Ash gibbering from behind him, yet ignored him and continued to advance.

But halted when the guard pointed the gun right at him.

Blue Eyes stared down the barrel of the automatic rifle, frozen with shock and sudden, paralyzing fear. He could hear Ash go silent, along with Rocket and the others, none of them daring to breathe. The entire area even seemed to quiet down, and a quick glance out of the corner of his eye told the prince that other apes were indeed observing them.

"Move along, _prince_ ," the guard growled, spitting out his royal title like an insult.

The young ape swallowed hard but nodded and broke out of his immobile state to back away, reaching for Ash's hand and pulling him along as well. Ash, also in shock, didn't resist and quietly allowed Blue Eyes to lead him away.

Now that there wasn't a rifle pointed between his eyes, Blue Eyes could feel the attention of hundreds of apes on them. It made him stiffen uncomfortably and he guessed that Ash felt the same, judging by how he tightened his grip on Blue Eyes' hand as they walked away. Their every move was observed, and some apes could be heard hooting curiously at their strange behavior. Neither of them had ever held hands in front of others before, and the prince imagined it must seem out of place to many.

"Where we. Going?" Ash whispered once they were well away from the imprisoned apes and out of earshot of any others.

"Away from. Them," Blue Eyes responded, rubbing his thumb across the back of Ash's hand.

Ash didn't say anything, but kept up with him as they left the area, going away from the very beings they had once considered their family.

Blue Eyes wasn't sure what to call them anymore.

…

The prince led Ash far from the others, enough so that neither could hear their loud, wild cries anymore. Once he was satisfied with the distance, Blue Eyes picked a random human hut and entered with his mate close behind. This one was smaller than the last, he noted, but paid attention to little else as he began looking for any other occupants, whether it be human or ape. Thankfully, there was no one.

He turned around to speak with Ash, whom he had left by the entrance, but the speckled chimp had disappeared again. Blue Eyes paused, slightly surprised, but quickly found his mate in the nearby bedroom. Ash was sitting in the middle of the nest, knees drawn to his chest and staring blankly at the wall. Despite the near darkness of the room, he could see Ash's emerald eyes filling with tears.

Blue Eyes said nothing at first, only sat beside the distraught chimp and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Ash let his head droop immediately, resting it against Blue Eyes' body and encircling his waist with his long arms. The prince stroked his back gently, fingers deep beneath the fur and gliding along the skin and muscle in a way Ash had always loved. Right now, though, he barely seemed to notice.

"Ash?" Blue Eyes whispered after a long stretch of silence. "You want. To talk?"

His mate sighed heavily, overcome with fear and wariness as he lifted his head.

" _I'm so scared, Blue Eyes,"_ he said, switching back to sign. " _Today was horrible."_

" _I know,"_ the prince signed back, a flash of the human girl, their family members in a cage, and that guard aiming a gun at his face replaying in his mind.

" _I'm scared for us,"_ Ash continued. " _And for father, Maurice, and everyone else in that cage. What's going to happen to them?"_

" _Probably nothing,"_ Blue Eyes responded, trying to be comforting towards his mate despite his unease. " _I don't think Koba will do anything."_

" _Really? After everything we saw?"_ Ash retorted, shaking his head in disbelief. He even seemed a little angry. " _You don't look like you believe that yourself."_

Blue Eyes swallowed thickly. Ash saw right through him, he always had. And his attempts to calm him were failing already.

" _I'm sorry,"_ the prince found himself signing. " _You're right. But I was just trying to make you feel better."_

" _I know,"_ Ash replied, sighing heavily afterwards. Thankfully, the prince noticed, his eyes were softening as his anger faded. " _But ignoring this could put us in danger,"_ he went on. " _These aren't the same apes we've known our whole lives."_

" _I know,"_ Blue Eyes agreed. " _But I don't understand why. So what if Maurice and the others were always loyal to my father? That isn't bad."_

" _Maybe it is. To Koba."_

Ash's statement got his attention.

" _They wanted peace, all of Caesar's followers did,"_ the speckled chimp began. " _But Koba does not, and he knows they will never follow him. They know what he's doing is wrong, so Koba's making sure they won't get in his way."_

" _That...Makes sense,"_ Blue Eyes admitted.

" _But,"_ Ash went on. " _I fear how Koba will handle this. There are many ways, but the one I'm most scared of is…"_

He stopped, as if he couldn't bear to say the word.

"Death," Ash finished aloud.

Blue Eyes hooted sharply. " _He wouldn't! The other apes won't allow it! Even if they disagreed with my father!"_

" _Yes they will,"_ Ash retorted. " _Koba will do what he did to Caesar, and accuse our friends, and any who defend them, of choosing humans over us."_

He shook his head before he continued, looking every bit as lost and hopeless as Blue Eyes felt.

" _Not to mention that he has many loyal followers who will do anything he asks. Others fear Koba, and they won't risk being locked up or killed for going against him."_

Blue Eyes shivered at that. The thought of Koba and his followers executing their other apes made him sick. It was barbaric! They would be killing their own family! And they wouldn't do it, right?

Then the image of that human female's broken body ran through his mind, bruised and bloody with eyes lifeless and wide open. If they did that to her, what would they do to those who sympathized with humans?

He had his answer, and it caused him far more terror than anything else the last few days.

Then his eyes met Ash's, the leafy color nearly glowing in the gloom as they probed for an answer.

" _You're right,"_ he signed again, something like dread filling him and settling like a rock in his stomach.

No one was safe now. Especially not them. Though he didn't know for sure how the others would react to the two of them being together, he didn't want to find out. If they disapproved, both he and Ash could end up like Rocket and the others. Maybe even worse.

Ash nodded slightly and laid his head on Blue Eyes' shoulder again, slipping one hand into his own and gripping tightly. His mate was shaking badly, and after a few seconds, Blue Eyes realized he was too. Strangely it reminded him of his nightmare, with the way Ash shook and clutched him as if his life depended on it. He grimaced at the thought, knowing that he hadn't been able to save him. He felt just as useless right now.

But as he looked down at his mate, seeing how depressed he was, Blue Eyes couldn't help but think that might not be entirely true. Sure there was nothing they could do about their current situation, but he could do what Ash did the night before and try to distract him for a while. It wasn't much, considering what they were facing, but it would help.

He owed it to Ash to try, at least.

"Ash," he said, gaining the other's attention again. As those emerald eyes met his, so full of despair and fear, he nearly shivered.

" _I know things are bad right now,"_ he started. " _But not everything is."_

Ash just huffed. Clearly he wasn't convinced.

But Blue Eyes just ignored it and nuzzled his cheek, going on to assure him just as the speckled chimp had done for him the night before.

" _But we're still together, Ash. And that's not going to change. No matter what happens, I will always be with you. I go where you go."_

Ash's head lifted slightly, eyes looking a little less devastated.

" _You think you can keep that promise?"_ He asked, critical yet hopeful.

" _I know I can,"_ Blue Eyes responded, forcing himself to be confident and reassuring. " _As long as we play along with the others, we should be safe. And maybe we can figure out how to free Rocket and the others."_

" _Really?"_

" _Sure,"_ he responded, then chuckled as if the answer was obvious and there was nothing to worry about. " _You're the king of breaking rules, Ash. And you never let anything hold you back before. Why start now?"_

Blue Eyes felt his heart lifting when Ash actually laughed at his statement and pushed him playfully. He smiled in return and gently elbowed Ash in the side. The speckled chimp rocked slightly at the contact, grin spreading wide as he stood up. Just when Blue Eyes was going to ask what he was doing, Ash tackled him.

They ended up in the middle of the bed, rolling around and trying to pin one another down. They play-fought for some time, but eventually ended up lying side by side and panting from the exertion.

Ash soon propped himself on his elbows and rose from the bed, smiling at Blue Eyes. The prince returned the look and pulled his legs under him, beckoning his mate closer once he was on his knees. Ash immediately approached and pressed his body against Blue Eyes', almost instinctively closing the distance and letting their lips meet.

Blue Eyes kissed back and parted his lips, allowing Ash's tongue to slip inside his mouth with practiced ease. Within seconds, Ash had his tongue completely subdued and stroked it gently with his own. The prince groaned, pushing Ash on his back without breaking their connection and taking back control of the kiss. Surprisingly, Ash allowed it and let the prince decide the pace. But just when he was settling in, Ash pushed against his chest and broke the kiss.

Blue Eyes pulled back a little, cocking his head in confusion at the sudden halt.

" _I want more than what we did last night,"_ Ash explained, panting breathlessly and giving Blue Eyes a look he recognized all too well. " _Can we look around to see if there's any more slippery stuff?_

Blue Eyes nodded eagerly at the suggestion and moved off his mate, hoping off the bed with Ash close behind him. The speckled chimp grinned at the prince and took his hand, dragging him close behind as he started his search. Blue Eyes broke off after a short time and continued on his own. Silence prevailed around them, only occasionally broken by the sounds of them looking around.

Finally Ash found some in the bathing room. Blue Eyes happened to be nearby, and heard Ash softly calling him back. The second Ash had the bottle in his hands, he grabbed Blue Eyes again and raced back to the bedroom. The prince followed, but gently pulled his hand away once they arrived.

Ash turned around, but pulled Blue Eyes against him before he could say anything. Their lips fiercely met, tongues twisting immediately as they grasped at one another's bodies. Ash's hands started on Blue Eyes' shoulders, but soon one traced down his chest and stomach, digging deep beneath the fur before going between his legs and palming his rapidly stiffening length.

The prince thrusted into his hands and growled against Ash's mouth when the other took his sweet time, his fingers wrapping loosely around the shaft while he placidly jerked him off. Soon tired of his mate's teasing touch, Blue Eyes finally forced Ash backwards until his legs hit the side of the nest. Taking the bottle from him and tossing it, he pushed again and let him fall on the nest. He quickly climbed in, as Ash kept pulling at him until they kissed again.

Their mouths slammed together again, over and over until Blue Eyes broke away and began to nibble on Ash's neck. Agitated by the lust building in his veins, the prince was much rougher than usual, digging his canines in as he moved and drawing a little blood. The metallic taste flooded his mouth as Ash groaned, fingers tangling in the prince's black fur as he moved further south and nipped at a spot right above his mate's collarbone. He didn't bother teasing Ash for long, as he could feel his hardening flesh poking into his stomach. He gave Ash's neck another few seconds of attention before he pulled away and buried his head between Ash's legs.

The young ape nearly cried out when Blue Eyes swallowed him whole, causing the prince to chuckle around him as he bobbed his head. He moved slowly, just as Ash had done before, and let his tongue bathe Ash's cock whilst the young chimp moaned. He could feel Ash's fingers digging into his skull, pulling the fur whilst his twitching flesh was sucked. Yet Blue Eyes ignored it for now, and Ash' constant begging for him to go faster, as he continued lapping at the throbbing flesh.

He waited until Ash was nearly ready to release before he gave in to his demands. He took every inch behind his lips and sucked hard, massaging the shaft with his tongue while humming a little tune. Ash groaned loudly at the sensation, plus the vibrations around him from Blue Eyes' humming, and finally pressed his palms into the back of his skull as he released inside his mouth. The prince pulled away once Ash was finished, swallowing quickly before moving back to Ash's neck.

He could feel Ash's heart pounding in his throat, the veins pulsing heavily beneath heated, grey skin. He teased them insistently, licking and nipping expertly as the pounding slowed. Soon Ash hooted for him, and he raised his head at the same time Ash moved forward and captured his lips again. Despite his orgasm, Ash was clearly still aroused as he flipped them over and ground his body into Blue Eyes'.

They kept kissing each other fiercely, rolling around in a tangled heap of limbs until Ash finally forced Blue Eyes on his back and reached for the Vaseline. The prince spread his legs and allowed the other to prepare and enter him once he was ready. The prince threw his head back with a breathy moan and tangled his hands in the fur on his mate's back, gripping tightly while Ash bucked into him. The dark grey chimp rolled his hips, each thrust jolting Blue Eyes' entire body and drawing heavy gasps from his throat. One hand raked through Ash's grey fur, clawing his way up until he'd grasped the back of his head and pulled him down. Their lips met, all hot air and tongues and teeth while they rutted.

"Harder!" Blue Eyes shrieked when they parted, bucking his hips upward into his mate's thrusts. His head tilted back, eyes squeezed shut and mouth stretched wide open as he cried out.

"Harder?" Ash repeated, nearly growling in his ear while he pushed inside him again. His cock speared deep within, spreading Blue Eyes' convulsing body wide open.

"Yes!" Blue Eyes yelled, feeling Ash's rock hard flesh touch the deepest parts of him. His eyes rolled, so unlike anything he'd experienced before.

"You know…What I...want," He moaned. "So...Do it!"

Ash grunted, teeth bared with the effort. Suddenly he straightened up, taking Blue Eyes' lower body with him as he adjusted. He slammed one hand down by the prince's head, the other holding his hips off the bed and pressed firmly into his crotch. Then Ash really pounded into Blue Eyes, _hard,_ leaving the prince helpless and submissive in his grasp.

Now Blue Eyes _screamed,_ pushing his vocal cords to the limit in response to the overwhelming penetration. He'd never taken Ash so deep inside before, and the new angle was causing heat and pressure to build at an alarming rate. He loved how rough Ash was being with him, from the hands bruising his hips to that savage, animalistic look in those leafy eyes drove electric chills up his spine. Now the head of Ash's cock was nudging against his most sensitive spot. He couldn't do anything to stop it, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

He was drowning, unable to breathe and unable to respond properly, and soon he was going to explode.

Then Ash _slammed_ into that spot, causing the ecstasy to overload within the young prince. It was the most powerful orgasm he'd ever experienced, the intensity gagging him while he twitched uncontrollably in Ash's arms. He could feel his walls closing around his mate, almost painfully tight as the grey furred chimp thrusted deeper yet. Soon liquid warmth flooded his insides as Ash cried out and, shoving every inch inside the overwhelmed prince.

Finally Ash collapsed on top of him, his cock softening inside as he gasped for breath. Blue Eyes followed soon after, now able to breathe again and greedily gulping air into his burning lungs.

When he felt steady enough, Ash pulled his still shaky body off Blue Eyes and threw one arm over his waist. The darker chimp looked towards him at the contact, flashing Ash a gentle smile before tugging him even closer. They pressed their foreheads together and, brow to brow, kissed each other gently.

" _We forgot to hold hands this time,"_ Ash jokingly signed once they parted. Blue Eyes chuckled and slipped his hand into Ash's as a response. Their fingers tangled together, and Ash kissed Blue Eyes' knuckles before relaxing against the bed. He tucked their joined limbs under his chin while the prince laid his head just above Ash's on the mattress. The speckled chimp sighed contentedly, but surprised Blue Eyes with an attention-getting hoot.

" _Was I too rough?"_

" _Not at all,"_ Blue Eyes assured, smiling at his mate. " _I loved it. We should do that again."_

Ash seemed pleased with Blue Eyes' answer and nodded, but still seemed bothered by something.

" _You think we'll be alright?"_ he asked once his mate's icy, sky gaze settled on him fully, easily sensing Ash's hesitance and looking for an answer.

" _I hope so,"_ the prince said. " _But-"_ he continued when he saw Ash's uneasy expression. " _I'll be there for you if something does happen. I won't let anyone take you away from me. I promise."_

That seemed to satisfy Ash, and he nuzzled Blue Eyes affectionately.

" _I promise, too,"_ he signed. " _I'll fight to stay with you. We'll be together no matter what. I swear."_

The prince nodded and pressed one last kiss to Ash's mouth before laying back down. Ash followed suite, laying his head on Blue Eyes's chest and pulling their hands beneath his chin. They both sighed happily, warm and content with their lover's body against their own.

"I love you," Blue Eyes whispered.

"I love you, too," Ash whispered back, squeezing the prince's hand one last time before he stilled completely.

And, just like the night before, soon the two were dozing off.

 _Creeeeeeeeeeeak._

A sudden noise startled them, and both raised their heads at the same time and looked towards it, then each other.

" _Did you hear that?"_ Ash asked, now wide awake and glancing back and forth worriedly.

 _Creeeeeeeeak,_ came the noise again, followed immediately by the sound of wood groaning in the other room.

They laid still in the nest, frozen and staring while waiting for something to happen. Nothing did, but both were still left uneasy and restless.

" _Wait here,"_ Blue Eyes finally signed as he rose from the bed. He walked out of the bedroom and checked the next room over. He didn't see anyone, but still proceeded to look around the rest of the human hut as well. A prickle of fear travled up his spine, every moment spent expecting a hostile human jumping out or a gunshot that would end his life. But no one was there, and he hurriedly went back to Ash.

" _Anything?"_ his mate asked while Blue Eyes crawled back into the nest.

" _No,"_ he assured him. " _There's no one here but us."_

Ash was still a little worried, but seemed to take some comfort in Blue Eyes' words. He nodded and laid on top of the prince once he'd gotten comfortable. Then he nuzzled into Blue Eyes' dark fur, only inches away from the still healing cuts on his chest as he grasped his hand and pulled it close to him again. The prince pressed one last kiss to the back of Ash's head, nuzzling him in return before letting his head relax against the nest and closing his eyes. He was still a little disturbed by the noise, even though there was no way anyone was in the hut with them. He'd checked everywhere, and knew there was no place anyone could hide.

They were safe, he told himself. They had to be.

Blue Eyes managed to calm his nerves by repeating the thought in his head, allowing himself to believe it was true. Eventually he settled enough for his breathing to level, becoming deep and slow as he fell asleep with Ash.


	10. Exposure

_**Just a warning, the end of this chapter is a bit disturbing. Read at your own risk.**_

 _..._

"Blue Eyes. Blue Eyes. Wake up."

The young ape groaned as his mate's voice ripped him from sweet unconsciousness, yet Ash was undeterred and continued saying his name whilst shaking him. He tried to turn away, and when Ash continued with his pestering, Blue Eyes swatted at him playfully before burying his face in the blanket and letting out a more exaggerated groan. But, like a persistent little mosquito, Ash kept poking at him until he finally rolled on his back and opened his eyes. His mate hovered over him, and smiled apologetically when the prince's annoyed eyes locked with his.

" _What's wrong?"_ Blue Eyes asked.

" _Nothing,"_ Ash admitted, fiddling nervously and giving his mate a shy smile. When Blue Eyes did nothing except let out an annoyed sigh, he quickly looked away before adding," _I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to you."_

Blue Eyes cocked his head, but pushed himself into a sitting position and stared at Ash. The speckled chimp refused to meet his eyes and kept them locked on his legs, all the while playing with his fingers. He seemed scared that Blue Eyes would be angry with him.

" _It's fine,"_ Blue Eyes signed, watching as Ash raised his head slightly to read them. The realization seemed to relax him, and he finally straightened up. He shot the prince a thankful smile before laying his hands in his lap.

" _How long were you awake?"_ Blue Eyes asked.

" _A long time,"_ Ash replied with a tired sigh. A loud, drawn out yawn interrupted him before he could jump to his next sign. He lifted his hands and rubbed his eyes with them when he was finished, as if trying to remove any sleepiness from them. It didn't do much, and the young ape still looked tense after he lowered them.

" _I_ _can't sleep,"_ he finally explained. " _You know, after everything that's happened…"_

Though a little irritated at being woken up, Blue Eyes understood Ash's reason for such distress. He reached out and pulled his mate closer with one arm. When their furry sides met, his other arm coiled around Ash as well, enveloping the other chimp in a warm hug.

"Is fine. Not angry," Blue Eyes promised again.

Those emerald eyes lit up with further relief, and he leaned against the prince's toned body for a moment. Soon though, he adjusted his body so he could continue signing without breaking contact.

" _I tried to let you sleep for a while,"_ Ash went on. " _I just got lonely."_

Blue Eyes stayed quiet but nuzzled him affectionately, his silent way of telling Ash that everything was alright and he didn't need to keep explaining himself. The speckled chimp let out another sigh, but relaxed in the prince's arms and laid his smokey head on Blue Eyes' unscarred shoulder.

" _It's still early,"_ Ash eventually signed. " _We can stay here for a while."_

" _That sounds nice, but we can't stay for very long,"_ Blue Eyes countered, finally breaking his stillness. " _I don't want Koba to get mad at us again."_

" _I don't either,"_ Ash admitted. " _But the sun hasn't come up yet. The others probably aren't awake. We have time, Blue Eyes."_

The prince considered and glanced towards the wall, where a small window covered by two thin pieces of human cloth showed a sliver of the outside world. Ash was right; it was still early. Enough so that the young prince could see a piece of the moon and some scattered stars in the black sky. There was no reason to go back right now.

" _Okay. We'll relax for a while,"_ Blue Eyes finally stated, earning a grateful look from his mate. Ash leaned forward then, as if he was about to kiss the scarred prince, but Blue Eyes held up his hand in a 'stop' gesture.

" _As much as I want to,"_ he started when Ash gave him a surprised and disappointed look, " _Can we clean up first? I feel dirty."_

Ash blinked once and glanced down. He saw the mess he'd left between Blue Eyes' legs last night, as well as brushed a hand over the stiffened fur on his own stomach, and nodded when he looked back up. Blue Eyes shot Ash one last smile before he pulled away and climbed off the nest. As he stood up straight, he groaned slightly and shifted his hips, causing something to pop. His backside ached, though he hadn't noticed until now. Ash came up beside him and hooted to get his attention, signing an apology once Blue Eyes looked at him.

"Is fine," the prince spoke, then gestured towards the bathing room with his head before heading over. Ash followed him, but Blue Eyes could feel his concerned eyes boring into him. He didn't say anything, though, and before long they stood in the shadowy, white room.

Or it was shadowy, until Ash flipped a switch on the wall that turned the lights on.

The sudden brightness burned their sensitive eyes and caused both apes to let out pain-filled hisses, with the all-white floor and wall only adding to their discomfort. Regardless, their eyes slowly adjusted until they could open them fully, which was when Blue Eyes turned and shot Ash a halfhearted glare. The other chimp's only response was to sheepishly rub the back of his head. The prince sighed, but dropped the matter and turned to the basin to climb in. Ash stepped in as well, and Blue Eyes messed with the knobs until warm water rained on them again.

Just like the day before, Ash stood back and watched Blue Eyes clean himself. Yet this time the prince kept his eyes locked with his mate's. He could see lust building within the emerald depths already, like sparks as they lit aflame. And when he bent over, spreading his legs to allow the water to wash over his dirtiest spots, those eyes seemed to ignite with their intensity.

Blue Eyes fought the urge to shiver, and shot back a sly look instead before he finally turned away. Only when he was straightening up after he finished did he restore eye contact. He sauntered over to Ash, and made sure to brush against him as he passed. Ash growled playfully and went to take his place, but made sure to slide his hand between Blue Eyes' legs and cup his crotch firmly. The prince jolted and groaned in response to the touch, but Ash pulled away before Blue Eyes could grind into his palm. He couldn't keep the shock off his face, and Ash winked at him before stepping under the water to clean his fur.

Blue Eyes watched him and panted, semi-hard thanks to his mate's grasping fingers and the humid warmth of the shower. This, alongside watching Ash rubbing his body in a seemingly sensual way, made him fully stiff in under a minute. Soon the speckled chimp glanced over his shoulder at him, and the proud smirk he shot the prince was nothing less than savage.

That, Blue Eyes decided, was the last straw. He'd had enough.

The prince strode forward before Ash could react, shoulders back and head held high as he pressed himself against his mate. The other startled at the sudden touch and looked back over his shoulder with shocked eyes, but Blue Eyes only grinned at him as he reached around and cupped Ash's crotch. The action drew strangled moans from his mate, and he leaned his head against Blue Eyes' shoulder as he ground his backside against the prince's raging erection. The young heir shuddered when warm, ticklish fur and hard muscle massaged him, and took his hands off Ash's stiffening length to grasp his hips instead.

He intended to pull his mate further against him so they could continue grinding, but Ash whirled around and shoved him against the wall before he could. Then the speckled chimp's lips were pressed against his, and they were locked in a rough, steamy kiss. Blue Eyes was stunned for a moment, but soon nipped at the white-flecked lips and stuck his tongue in Ash's mouth, beginning a match of wrestling between them. Ash suddenly pulled away but, just as quickly as he'd kissed him, sunk to his knees in front of Blue Eyes.

The prince watched as Ash gently took his erection in his hand, almost acting as if he'd never seen it before while studying it closely. Even though his grip wasn't hard, it was enough to make Blue Eyes shudder and thrust his hips into Ash's hand. The speckled chimp tolerated the motion for a moment before using his free hand to pin Blue Eyes' hips against the wall, all the while ignoring the frustrated whimpers the prince let out. Once Blue Eyes was still, Ash finally gave in to his mate's begging and began to stroke the now throbbing length. But he still kept a slower pace and loosely gripped the shaft with his hand, something that frustrated Blue Eyes to no end.

"Ash," he whined, and placed his hands on the back of the other chimp's head, gently pushing to emphasize what he wanted him to do. Ash cheekily smiled back at him and took his hand off Blue Eyes' erection.

" _Try not to rip my fur out,"_ he signed, and before Blue Eyes could ask any questions, he dipped his head and took the entire length into his mouth.

Blue Eyes let out a heavy grunt at the wet heat surrounding him and buried his fingers beneath the fur on Ash's head. The speckled chimp let out something between and groan and a grunt, but allowed the prince to keep his hands there as he moved. His body rocked gently along with the motion of his head, and his lips pressed firmly over Blue Eyes' cock every time he took it back into his mouth.

Ash moved on his own for a short time, but eventually released Blue Eyes' hips and braced his hands on the wall behind them. The prince began thrusting forward once Ash's grip left him, though he kept the motion slow and gentle while using the leverage from his grip on Ash's head to push himself into the other chimp's mouth. By now, Ash had stilled completely, and allowed Blue Eyes to pull him back and forth over his cock.

The prince tried not to be rough with his movements, but felt his control starting to slip when Ash's hot tongue made contact with his hard flesh, drawing loud grunts from his throat as the slick muscle carrassed him. Despite himself, his thrusting was speeding up. Yet Ash allowed it and even tightened his mouth around him, damp tongue now lapping at his cock while he sucked. It seemed as if he was actually trying to tease Blue Eyes into letting go of his cautious instincts.

But it wasn't until Ash started moaning around him that he really lost it.

He firmly held Ash's head in place and thrusted forward with wild abandon, orgasm approaching much faster now with the change of pace. The pace was much faster than he'd ever dared to do in the past, but Ash gave no indication that it was too much, so Blue Eyes took that as a sign of encouragement that he could handle what he was doing.

The prince wished he'd lasted longer, but it only took three more jerks of his hips before he came. He let out a low, guttural groan as his orgasm tore through him, and felt Ash's hands on his waist, holding him steady and preventing a fall while the prince dealt with the intense sensation.

Ash pulled his mouth off once Blue Eyes was finished, but still held him firmly while staring up at him. The young prince was grateful for the consideration, as he was leaning heavily against the wall for balance. Soon, once he felt steady enough, he straightened up and flashed Ash a gentle smile, signing a quick 'thank you' while he was at it. The speckled chimp nodded and rose to his feet.

Now they were face to face with each other, and Ash gently pecked Blue Eyes on the lips, to which the prince nuzzled him in return. With Ash so close now, Blue Eyes could feel him poking into his stomach, yet it was made even more obvious when his mate pressed his grey-furred body against his own. The young ape chuckled as Ash started to grind against him, and adjusted his head so that his mouth was right by the other ape's ear.

He gently nibbled on the shell before whispering in his ear, "Go back. To nest. I repay. You there."

The speckled chimp turned his head to meet the prince's eyes, and his playful smile turned dark with mounting lust before giving a quick nod and reaching behind him to turn off the water. After they had stepped out of the shower and dried themselves, Ash gestured to Blue Eyes and the two began the short walk to the bedroom

" _By the way,"_ Ash signed on the way. " _I found more human books under the nest."_

" _Books?"_ Blue Eyes asked.

" _Like the ones from our tree-hut,"_ Ash explained. They were just arriving, so Ash approached the nest before going down on all fours to dig them out. Blue Eyes appraised each one curiously while Ash laid them out on the bed.

" _These ones are different,"_ Ash said once he stood back up, the signs tearing the prince's attention from the books. " _There aren't any males in the pictures."_

Blue Eyes processed the information and picked one of them up. He stared at the cover, taking in the image of the young, dark haired female. She was almost naked, though seeing all the exposed skin did little to interest the ape prince.

" _How did you find these?"_ Blue Eyes asked with one hand, while his other flipped the book open and began looking through the images.

" _I couldn't sleep for long, remember? I was going to wait for you to wake up, but I got bored. So I searched through the room."_

Blue Eyes nodded, but didn't respond otherwise. He continued to look through the magazine but stopped on a particular image that actually managed to catch his attention. Though not in the way all those pictures of naked males from their own book in the forest had.

" _Look at this,"_ he signed to Ash, turning the picture around so Ash could see. He looked at it for a second, then nodded and smiled.

" _I saw that one. I almost couldn't believe it."_

Blue Eyes turned the book towards him again, and spent another few moments staring at the picture before huffing and turning the page.

" _I never knew-"_ Blue Eyes signed offhandedly, " _-that human females have big tits."_

Ash gasped in shock. In all their years together, he'd never seen Blue Eyes use such provocative gestures.

" _I thought we aren't supposed to repeat words like that_!" Ash exclaimed, though he was smiling and quickly became lost in thought. " _Do you remember when we were younger, and Theodore accidentally signed a curse word in front of us?"_

" _Yes,"_ Blue Eyes answered, the memory causing him to chuckle fondly. " _I thought Rocket was going to kill him. I don't think I've ever seen him that angry."_

" _Are you sure?"_ Ash asked. " _Even after we took our new word to class the next day?"_

The prince just snickered. His mate was right, though. Rocket was _furious_ with them after Maurice had told him about how that days class had went. By the time the class had ended most, if not all, the other children had learned the word from them. Maurice had extreme difficulty controlling his students that day, and for an entire week straight, a significant number of parents stopped by to complain to Caesar and Rocket about their children's colorful vocabulary.

" _But anyway, no one has to know,"_ Blue Eyes continued, mood uplifted as the echo of one of their biggest shenanigans faded. " _Besides, there are worse words than that."_

Ash chuckled and nodded, but stepped forward and held out his hand. The prince cocked his head, but set the book in his mate's outstretched palm. Ash took it, along with the other books, and set them on the floor.

" _We can look through them later,"_ he signed when he turned back around, eyeing the prince's body with carefully controlled desire. " _I want to do something else right now."_

Now Blue Eyes smirked as he glanced down. Ash was still semi-hard from the shower, yet he'd been waiting patiently all this time to be repaid.

Blue Eyes would have to reward him.

" _As you wish,"_ the prince signed while gesturing towards the nest. Ash grinned and climbed onto it, laying himself down and spreading his legs invitingly. Blue Eyes just rolled his eyes as he followed his mate's lead and crawled overtop him. Once he was settled, the prince leaned down and kissed the speckled chimp.

Ash tried to deepen the kiss, but Blue Eyes pulled away and attacked his neck before he could. He nipped and licked at the warm skin, all the while teasing his mate's most sensitive spots with his canines. Ash groaned and wrapped his arms around Blue Eyes' broad shoulders, grinding his pelvis into the prince's and letting him feel his throbbing need. The darker furred ape allowed it for a short moment before one hand slithered between their writhing bodies and firmly gripped Ash's cock.

The speckled chimp bucked and groaned in response to the sudden touch, but thrusted into his hand eagerly. Blue Eyes paid it little mind as he continued teasing his mate's throat, still nipping before lapping at the sensitive flesh whilst he massaged Ash's cock with his fingertips.

But he didn't continue for long, and released his mate's throbbing length before moving back up to his mouth. Ash responded quickly and deepened the kiss the moment their lips touched. Soon after, he forced his tongue inside Blue Eyes' mouth and wrestled with the prince's. Blue Eyes indulged Ash's advancements for a short time, but finally pulled away and admired his handiwork.

Ash panted heavily underneath him, and his cock was rock hard. His chest heaved, speckled mouth open and gasping for air. Yet what Blue Eyes loved most was the little marks he'd left on Ash' throat, and the possessiveness those marks implied.

He must've been the luckiest male in the world to have the option to claim someone such as Ash. His best friend, partner, and mate. Mind, body, and soul; it all belonged to him, just as he belonged to Ash.

For as long as they lived.

"Please, Blue Eyes! I need you!" his mate begged, the sound bringing him out of his private thoughts and causing his own cock to pulse. He wanted Ash between his legs again, and his warm mouth wrapped tight around his sensitive flesh. But that would come after he took care of Ash's needs, he told himself as he leaned down for another kiss.

They had nothing but time, after all, before the other apes began to-

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Blue Eyes startled at the noise, the sudden boom in almost silent room causing him to jump off Ash and turn around.

There stood Koba, along with three other apes, Oliver, Anthony, and Hunter. All had disgusted and angry looks on their faces.

Both young apes immediately froze.

Blue Eyes gulped, scared to death and unable to respond. Though Koba terrified him now, Oliver and Anthony had always made Blue Eyes nervous, even back in the peaceful days. Except for a handful of apes, he was always comfortable around his people, and Anthony and Oliver were the worst out of that exception. Especially Oliver with his lime green eyes that reminded him of rot, almost promising to cause trouble any that came into contact with him.

Though they were both respectful when in his presence, they'd still managed to give him an uneasy feeling. And after he'd caught Oliver staring at him from afar with a look in those rotten eyes that the young prince couldn't identify, the slight sense of unease turned into heavy discomfort.

But even that was only a mere shadow of the fear he was experiencing right now.

When neither choose to speak, still frozen with terror, Koba stomped his foot angrily and barked at them when they jumped.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" He snarled.

" _Nothing!"_ Ash finally signed from beside him. " _It's not what it looks like! I swear!"_

"Liar," Koba growled at Ash, before turning his fury towards the young prince. "I ask. One more time. What are. You doing? And do not. Lie."

Blue Eyes' mind desperately searched for a solution; any way he could turn this around and make it seem innocent. But after several heavy seconds of intense scrutiny, he realized there was none and raised his hands to sign, " _I was...Pleasuring Ash."_

Though Koba seemed to know that from the start, his angry frown turned disgusted and ashamed whilst he signed, " _What is wrong with you?"_

" _Nothing!"_ Blue Eyes hurriedly responded. " _It's nothing! We were just...Trying something out."_

" _Trying something out?"_ Koba suspiciously asked.

" _Yes,"_ the prince continued, trying to make himself as believable as possible. " _We found...Pictures of humans,"_ he explained, pointing to the stack of books still on the floor. Though it was a partial lie, it was the best he could come up with.

" _They looked like they were having fun-"_ he continued, "- _so we wanted to try it."_ When Koba growled with distaste, he quickly added, " _But this is the only time we've done something like this."_

" _Is that so?"_ Koba asked.

" _I swear,"_ Blue Eyes promised, believing there was a chance that Koba would buy his story if the young ape could keep a straight face.

" _I thought I told you not to lie, Blue Eyes."_

Blue Eyes' mouth nearly dropped open, and he fought to keep his composure.

" _I'm not lying!"_ he protested.

" _Yes you are,"_ said Hunter, who stood at Koba's right before he stepped forward and cut into the conversation. " _He stuck his head between Ash's legs last night. Right before he allowed himself to be mounted like a female."_

Blue Eyes could feel his body starting to shake, body frozen and facade buckling as he tried to understand how Hunter possibly knew anything.

" _What are you talking about!?"_ Ash demanded when the prince stayed silent. " _There must be-"_

" _I was there,"_ Hunter interrupted, pointing to a door within the bedroom. It looked like a storage room, as it was small and held little except for human clothes.

" _You...were watching us?"_ the speckled asked, eyes going wide while any ounce of bravery drained out of him. Blue Eyes himself wanted to disappear, and felt his face heat up with embarrassment at the thought of somebody witnessing them in such an intimate position.

" _Yes. I came in here looking for humans. Then I heard noise, so I hid in there to ambush them. It was only you two, but then he,"_ Hunter pointed to Ash, "- _kissed him-,"_ now he pointed at Blue Eyes, " _-and before long they were having sex."_

Koba shook his head. " _I hoped there was some misunderstanding,"_ he started. " _But you were right."_ Then he turned to Blue Eyes and Ash, glaring at them fiercely while they drew back from the harshness of it. " _What do you have to say for yourselves?"_

" _I...don't believe this,"_ Ash signed.

" _Neither did I,"_ Hunter answered. " _I was so shocked, I couldn't move until you two went to sleep. Then it took me until this morning to convince myself it was all real."_ His angry eyes narrowed even further, the green in them overrun with disgust. " _But I'll probably be sick to my stomach at the sight of either of you for weeks."_

" _Please,"_ Blue Eyes begged. He was starting to feel sick. " _Just leave us alone."_

Koba just snorted and gestured towards them with his head. Oliver and Anthony, who had stayed silent and motionless until now, sprang forward and grabbed the young apes by the arms before roughly jerking them off the bed and out of the room. Both Ash and Blue Eyes struggled, but the much older and stronger apes kept them in a hold stronger than iron as they were dragged out of the human hut.

At first the prince had no idea where they were being taken, but soon began to recognize familiar buildings. They'd passed them last night as he led Ash away from the other apes. Now they were going back to where the other apes had gathered.

The location was mostly vacant when they arrived, but soon filled with hairy figures attracted by the shouting like sharks hungry for blood. And, to Blue Eyes' horror, even when some of them realized that it was Ash and himself who were being manhandled and shown off like prized war criminals, none stepped up to help or even questioned what was going on. They just stared.

Ash was right. No one was going to stand against Koba. Despite his status as prince, he had no allies who would help him.

The thought caused Blue Eyes to twist hard and try to free his arm again, but Oliver dug his fingers in to keep him still. Even when he yelped in pain and halted his movement, the older ape tightened his grip more and chuckled when his pained cries grew louder. He could feel the bruises forming already, though he didn't have much time to think about that before Ash let out a loud shriek from somewhere behind him. It sounded both pained and panicked.

They finally stopped in the middle of the plaza. Anthony and Oliver held them side by side as the spectating apes formed a circle around them. He didn't turn around to look for fear of retaliation, but he swore he could feel his imprisoned friend's and family's eyes on him, as well as the, for once, silent humans.

They waited there while Koba sent some of his followers to collect more apes. Clearly he wanted to make sure as many were present as possible to hear what he had to say.

'To tell them all what Ash and I were doing,' Blue Eyes thought.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Ash let out a small whimper. Blue Eyes looked towards him, and noticed he was shaking badly in Anthony's hold. The speckled chimp locked eyes with him immediately, wide eyed and helpless as his chest heaved rapidly in his fear. Unlike himself, Ash could not contain his terror, and the young prince felt an urge to hide any discomfort he may have been showing. So he flashed Ash a gentle smile and tried to keep a reassuring mask on for his mate, despite the fact that Oliver's digits were still trying to bury themselves in his flesh.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to make any difference. Ash still looked badly shaken.

" _Stay calm,"_ Blue Eyes mouthed, making sure to over-exaggerate his lips so Ash would understand the silent message.

" _I can't,"_ Ash mouthed back, though he let out a series of quiet whimpers at the end. " _I'm so-"._

"No talk!" Anthony suddenly barked, and twisted Ash's forearm around until he yowled with pain.

Blue Eyes hooted loudly in protest at Anthony and struggled against Oliver with all his might, but was forced to stop when the other bent his arm into a position it was not meant to be in. His angered cries turned painful once again, until Oliver finally let the limb go and pinned it firmly against his backside. As he settled down, he noticed another corous of panicked pant-hoots coming from behind him. It couldn't have been Ash, who was now quiet once more. Rocket, maybe?

Then Koba strode out into the center, and his train of thought halted at the sight of his approaching uncle. A quick glance around showed hundreds of apes were surrounding them now. It seemed as though every surviving ape in the human colony had eyes on them.

Koba stopped a few feet away from the restrained prince, a look of disgust in his mad eye. He glared for a moment before signing one last time, " _I had hope for you, Blue Eyes."_

Then, just after he finished signing the last word, Koba straightened and shouted for all the apes to hear.

"These two! Are not ape!" He announced while gesturing to them both. "Are. Animals! Worse than dogs! These two! Mate! With each other!"

The reaction was immediate, and ripped any remaining hope of understanding and compassion from his people to bloody ribbons. If Blue Eyes though Koba was loud, the waves of shocked, outraged, and disgusted cries of the other apes was deafening.

But the older ape wasn't done yet.

And!" he continued, pointing at Blue Eyes now. "Caesar's son! The heir! Of our people! Opens his mouth! For other males!"

If embarrassment could kill, the young prince would be dead a hundred times over. The first wave of reaction was bad enough; now it was overwhelming with it all directed at him alone. He kept his eyes on the ground and went completely still as the apes continued to shriek in outrage and shout out degrading insults. Blue Eyes wished he could disappear.

Suddenly Oliver's grip switched to his shoulder and forced him to go down on his hands and knees. Ash cried out, and a quick glance showed Anthony was manipulating him into the same position.

Yet the shouting continued, and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"Why scared!?" He heard someone yell, a taunting edge in their voice. "Don't like. That position!?"

"Filthy!" Another declared.

"Disgusting!" A third added.

"Wish Caesar! Could see! His son now!" yet another cried out, followed by rowdy laughter and a string of raunchy comments.

Blue Eyes dared to look one spectator in the eye, but the ape just snarled at him and shouted, "Bet you'd let! Many males! Mount you!"

The entire time, Koba just watched them.

Blue Eyes stared back, scared and terrified while Ash started begging for mercy beside him. The older ape's head tilted towards the speckled male with narrowed eyes. He observed him for a moment, shaking his head in disgust at the desperate display. The prince tried to speak up and turn Koba's attention away from his mate, but Koba raised his assault rifle and sprayed bullets mere inches away from Ash's knees.

Blue Eyes jumped when Ash suddenly screamed, twisting and jerking violently in Anthony's rough hold. It took a few moments for the sky hued ape to recognize that Ash was in pain, and a moment more to notice bright red dripping from the gaping hole in his left hand.

Ash had been shot!

The shock of it all took over and immobilized him on the spot.

At least until Koba raised the gun again, this time pointed directly at Ash's chest.

He felt Oliver's shocked hands slacken and, without thinking, he lunged straight at Koba, knocking him over and slamming him into the pavement. The second Koba was down, he raised his fists and brought them down with the strength of a club. He rained blows on the older ape's face and chest until he was jerked off his uncle. Two sets of hands were on him now, holding him by the shoulders and wrists like chains. He tried to struggle, but Oliver and another ape tightened their grips until he was crying out again.

But he refused to stop this time, his protective instincts taking hold as he fought on. Then he realized that Koba, breathing heavy and glowering at him, was coming towards him.

Blue Eyes had got a couple good hits in before the apes dragged him off, but all the open wounds and bloody face did was anger the other ape. The heat and fury of the young prince's struggle ran cold at the sight of him, the scars grotesque and shining crimson against his dark fur and skin while his one eye held a level of fury Blue Eyes had never seen. And it was all topped off with the assault rifle, still clutched tightly in Koba's shaking fist. It looked as if the older ape wanted to use it.

On him.

Koba stopped when he was inches away from the prince, and Blue Eyes barely had time to blink before the butt of the gun slammed into the side of his head. He jerked to the side from the force of the blow, but doubled over when he was hit in the gut an instant later. He went limp in his guard's arms. They allowed his limp body to drop, and the prince curled up on the asphalt. He gasped and coughed harshly, lungs and stomach burning as he tried to get his breath back. He was vaguely aware of Ash yelling out of concern to his right.

"Get up," Koba growled, his tone making it clear that he wasn't finished with the young ape yet. Blue Eyes couldn't move much, but managed to lift his head and meet his former role model's savage eyes. His own narrowed as he sent an angry, sapphire glare straight back at Koba.

"I am. Disappointed. In you," the scarred ape continued while shaking his head, as if Blue Eyes should be ashamed at himself for his actions. "I expected more. From a prince. Than to allow. Another male to. Mount him."

Blue Eyes bristled at the insult. Anger rose inside him, causing his lips to part with a low growl. Before he could stop it, a particularly nasty word slipped out. Only once had he heard it from another ape, but it'd been repeated by the humans multiple times over the last few days as they yelled at apes from within their cage. He was taught never to use it, but disregarded the lesson and hissed at his once highly regarded uncle, "Fuck you."

This earned him another blow to the head, and his body rolled from the sheer force of it. He moaned in pain, eyes squeezed shut while his head swam, but didn't have much time to recover before Oliver yanked him upright by his wrists-the sudden motion only making his dizziness worse- and he was roughly dragged away after his arms were forced behind his back.

Even with black spots in his vision, he tried to look around and managed to locate Ash again, who was being pulled along as well by Anthony. Strangely, they were taken away from the other apes instead of being thrown in the cage with Maurice and the others. Koba must've given an order while he was down, and Blue Eyes found himself dreading where they were going next.

"Koba says. Keep you. For now," Oliver hissed in his ear, shivers wracking his spine as the older ape's raspy voice declared, "He decide. What to. Do with you. Later."

...

Wherever Oliver and Anthony were taking them, it was well away from the others and took forever to get to. During that time both were shoved in every direction possible, until Blue Eyes was convinced that the two older apes were doing it on purpose. They seemed to delight in his and Ash's pain, and took every opportunity to forcibly drag them in a new direction, slam them against something, or trip them just so they could put more strain on their already sore arms.

Finally though, Blue Eyes and Ash were taken into another human building. This one was different than the ones the two lovers had stayed in, as it didn't seem like anyone would live in it with its lack of furniture. Soon after, they stopped in a large, bare room made of stone, but the prince was dragged even further inside while Anthony held Ash near the entrance. Now on opposite sides of the room, it quickly became clear that they were not allowed to speak, as the attempt quickly resulted in both ape's arms being bent in awkward angles until they were howling for it to stop.

Both Ash and Blue Eyes kept quiet after that, and waited in the deafening silence for whatever would happen next.

"Why they. Do this?" Anthony suddenly asked Oliver, as both hands were being used to restrain his captive. The fact that he dared talk about them as if they weren't there made the prince bristle.

"Do not. Know," Oliver responded. "Something. Wrong. With them."

Anthony seemed to ponder this, but soon turned back to Ash's shuddering form and eyed him.

"Why you. Do it?" he asked him.

"I love...Blue Eyes," Ash shakily responded, sounding both scared and exhausted. "Is what. Mates do."

Anthony just snorted as if the speckled chimp had told an obvious lie. Blue Eyes tried to speak up, but a crushing pain on his wrists drew a whimper out of him instead. Oliver hissed the command in his ear while gesturing to Ash with his head, "If you. Move. I hurt. Him."

Blue Eyes nodded quickly.

He felt Oliver take one hand off him. Using one-handed sign, he continued the conversation with Anthony. The young ape turned his head so he could follow along.

" _I overheard Hunter saying that the prince was moaning like he was in heat last night. As weird as it was, it sounds like they were having fun."_

Anthony cocked his head and glanced back and forth between the two lovers. The silence returned, and Blue Eyes took the time to try and catch his mate's green eyed gaze. But Ash kept his head and eyes down, staring at the ground with an air of defeat around him.

" _Really?"_ Anthony finally responded. " _I wonder how it feels…"_

Suddenly he shoved Ash down, who let out a surprised cry as his knees hit the hard floor, eyes alight with fresh terror. Anthony was right behind him, and the young chimp began to struggle instantly while hooting loudly in a panicked tone. But no matter how hard he fought, Anthony kept him firmly in place. Finally he stilled after a hard slap to the side of the head, but began to shake and cry in the older ape's arms.

The sudden movement shocked Blue Eyes, who at first was confused as to what Anthony was doing. But understanding dawned on him when the older ape forced Ash's legs apart and pressed himself between them.

"Ash!" he called out while he began to struggle again, desperate to free himself and help his mate. But he still wasn't strong enough, and Oliver managed to keep him restrained with one hand while the other pulled at the fur on the side of Blue Eyes' skull, forcing him to watch as Anthony ground against Ash.

The prince could feel himself starting to twitch in anger.

Then one of Anthony's hands moved to Ash's hip and gripped him tightly, the other still holding his wrists in place while he commanded Ash to hold still.

But it wasn't until Blue Eyes felt something hard digging into his back that he snapped.

With only a single hand holding his wrists, Blue Eyes was finally able to rip one arm free from his captor. Before Oliver could react, the prince turned and slammed his fist as hard as he could into the other ape's face. Oliver staggered at first, blood dripping from his battered nose, and he stared for a moment before dropping to the ground. Then Blue Eyes turned to face Anthony, who had let go of Ash by now and was getting to his feet.

Blue Eyes charged quickly, enough so that Anthony, despite being older and stronger, was unable to resist as the prince slammed him backwards. He managed to get a hold of Blue Eyes' arms and wrestle with him for a moment, but still furious beyond belief, the prince was able get a hold of and slam his head into the wall. After the third time, there was a sickening crack and Anthony went still.

He panted fiercely, the intense silence returning in the aftermath of his fury as he turned to check on Ash, only to be caught in a powerful embrace.

"B...Blue Eyes!" Ash cried. "T...Thank you!"

The prince was quick to return the embrace. He tried to say something, but he couldn't make his lips shape the words. Instead he sat there with Ash, both the young apes shaking badly in each other's arms. Ash couldn't stop sobbing, and Blue Eyes' fur was quickly soaked with salty tears.

" _I...I could feel him, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash suddenly signed, but struggled to form them correctly. " _He was going to-"_

"I know, Ash," Blue Eyes said, once it was clear that his mate couldn't continue his sentence. He tightened his grip on the speckled chimp's body and whispered in his ear, "You are. Safe now."

Nothing more was said after that, with Ash unable to speak and the prince trying to comfort him. As his mate cried, Blue Eyes took the time to glance at Oliver and Anthony's still forms. At first he worried about either of them waking up, but once he saw their open, lifeless eyes, he realized both were dead.

His heart skipped a beat as the words, _Ape not Kill Ape,_ ran through his mind, echoing and accusing in the loud silence.

"Ape not...Kill ape?" Ash suddenly asked, voice shaky but far more stable than it was before. With his mind racing, it took several moments before Blue Eyes realized he had spoken the law out loud.

" _I broke it, Ash,"_ he explained while letting out a heavy sigh. " _I killed them both."_

The speckled chimp went stiff and looked towards Anthony and Oliver, the latter with a bloody face and the former with his neck in an awkward position. Ash stared at their corpses for a long moment, and Blue Eyes waited for his reaction. He wasn't sure what he expected, but was surprised when his mate turned back to him with hard eyes.

" _They deserved it,"_ Ash signed coldly. " _You had no choice."_

Blue Eyes only gulped.

" _I know that, Ash. We had to defend ourselves, but the law…"_ he trailed off. Ever since he could remember, he was taught to uphold it, as that rule was one of the very foundations of their society. Even if he had to break it, the fact did little to stop the turning anxiety in his stomach. Or the guilt that flooded his body.

Or the fact that he had to break it was further proof that their society was falling apart.

" _I understand, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash continued, effectively silencing the prince before he could. " _It's okay."_

The prince only nodded and let Ash pull their foreheads together. He relaxed against the speckled chimp and did his best to banish the memory of his actions. Blue Eyes stayed for a few moments, but forced himself to pull away before he was ready to.

" _We have to leave now, Ash. It's too dangerous to stay here."_

Ash didn't say anything, but nodded solemnly. Blue Eyes stood and helped his mate to his feet before leading him to the doorway. The prince stuck his head out to check for anyone. Once he was sure they were alone, he turned back to Ash and gestured for them to leave.

But before he could go far, Ash stopped him with a quiet hoot.

" _I just wanted to tell you,"_ he began whilst pulling Blue Eyes against him and looking straight into his eyes. " _In case something happens, I want you to know that I love you."_

"Ash," Blue Eyes whispered.

" _I need you to know…"_

" _Please don't talk like that,"_ the prince signed, the sudden rush of emotions causing his throat to swell. " _It sounds like you're giving up. Like you're saying goodbye."_

" _I'm sorry, Blue Eyes."_ Ash's eyes were growing wet and glassy again, though he paid it little mind. " _That's not what I meant to do. I just want you to know that, in case we don't get to say goodbye."_

Blue Eyes felt tears in his eyes too, and he swallowed to keep them at bay.

" _I love you too, Ash,"_ he signed before wrapping his arms around him. They buried their heads in each other's fur, as the thought of being torn apart was too much to bear.

The embrace didn't last long, but Blue Eyes knew they couldn't afford to wait any longer. So he let go and stepped back, even as he trembled from the loss of contact.

" _It's time to go,"_ he signed.

Ash, to his relief, didn't fight and reached for the prince's hand instead. Blue Eyes took it and squeezed gently. Then, before he broke down and pulled Ash against him again, he turned away and left the room with his mate right behind him. The two headed down the hallway, found the exit, and left the building in heavy silence. Once outside, Blue Eyes led Ash the opposite way from which they came.

Away from the building.

Away from their former family.

Away from apes.

…

 _And just in case anyone is wondering how Blue Eyes knows the words, 'tits' and 'fuck', consider that many of the apes from their colony came from zoos, labs, or the primate shelter from Rise. I find it hard to believe that some human hadn't said some curse words in front of the apes at some point in one of those places, therefore allowing the word to become part of their vocabulary even if it isn't often used._


	11. Reunion

" _Your hand,"_ Blue Eyes signed to Ash. " _Let me see it."_

Since escaping Anthony and Oliver, the two had successfully snuck away from the congregated apes without being spotted, and were now settling down for a brief rest inside in abandoned building coated with greenery and dust. They'd put a decent distance between them and the others after they'd left, and the sun now lay directly over their heads, but were still too close for Blue Eyes' comfort.

Unfortunately, the speckled chimp's blood loss was causing him to become dizzy and lightheaded, so they searched for an inconspicuous spot and stopped for a break. The prince had been anxious to grant Ash's request before, but after they'd settled and he'd gotten a good look at his mate, whose skin seemed a shade paler than his usual smokey gray, Blue Eyes was glad he'd gone against his cautions instincts.

Ash offered his bloody palm, and the prince gently grasped his wrist to hold the limb steady. He leaned in closer and examined the wound, now coated with both fresh and dried blood while the injury itself was inflamed from their constant motion throughout the morning. The sight was enough to make him queasy, but then he flipped Ash's and noticed the wet blood coating that side, too.

He suddenly felt sick and turned his head away.

"Blue Eyes?" Ash whispered.

" _I think the bullet went through,"_ he explained, and swallowed thickly as he released Ash's wrist. " _I'm sorry. I can't look anymore."_

Ash was silent for a moment as he processed the information, but then offhandedly signed, " _At least we don't have to dig it out."_

Blue Eyes only response was a thankful nod, as neither of them had any extensive experience in treating wounds. They could handle basic scratches and cuts, but a gunshot was far worse than they'd been taught to treat.

" _What now?"_ Ash asked after a moment of heavy silence.

" _Whatever we do, we need to take care of that wound,"_ Blue Eyes replied automatically, knowing that infection was likely to set in if Ash was left the way he was. " _We need to look for anything that can help us."_

" _There might be something in the nearby buildings,"_ his mate suggested.

" _Maybe. It looks like no one's been in them for a long time. But humans might have taken everything already."_ The prince paused and gave the speckled chimp a questioning stare. " _How are you feeling?"_

" _Still weak,"_ Ash answered. " _And shaky, too. The pain is terrible. I don't know if I can go much further."_

" _Ash-"_

" _You should search those buildings, Blue Eyes."_

" _And leave you alone?! What if apes come looking here?"_

" _That's unlikely-"_

" _But not impossible. No, I'm not leaving you behind! We stay together no matter what, remember?"_

" _Of course I do. I don't like this either, but we need help and I don't think I can walk much further."_

" _Then we'll wait a little bit. We've been sneaking around all morning. I'm sure you're just tired, Ash."_

" _Blue Eyes-"_

" _We rest for a while, then we leave,"_ Blue Eyes stated.

Seeing that arguing was pointless, Ash sighed and dropped his hands. Blue Eyes moved to his mate's side, sat down, and wrapped an arm around him. Despite being a little annoyed at the prince's stubbornness, the speckled chimp still laid his head on Blue Eyes' shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Rest Ash," Blue Eyes whispered. "I keep watch."

Just as the last word left his mouth, a series of loud, pant-hoots disturbed the silence. Both the young ape's heads shot up at the sound. Blue Eyes automatically grabbed Ash's uninjured hand and pulled him along. The speckled chimp followed without question, and the two fled in the opposite direction of the now approaching noise.

When they finally dared to slow down, the silence had returned, only interrupted by their heavy breathing. But Ash was clearly struggling and in an even worse state than before. When Blue Eyes gestured for them to keep going, he noticed immediately how Ash staggered on his three useable limbs, clearly too weak from blood loss and exhaustion to even walk straight.

Then the speckled chimp stopped.

" _Please, Blue Eyes,"_ he signed with a shaky hand, his injured one pressed against his chest. " _I don't feel good, and the pain is getting worse."_

" _We hide, then. Hide from ape patrols."_

Ash gave a thankful nod and followed Blue Eyes inside another abandoned building, where they found a good place to hide and hunkered down together.

More commotion came and went, most of it consisting of loud hoots and screams coming from approaching ape hunters outside, but eventually the surroundings went silent once again. After a long time had passed without any noise, the lovers crawled out from under the human nest they'd used as cover and left the building. When they stepped onto the badly decayed street, cracked and overrun with weeds in multiple places, the two picked a direction that, they hoped, the apes hadn't gone and headed off.

They traveled in the silent calm until, as Blue Eyes observed their surroundings for threatening signs, he noticed a lone human outside a nearly hidden building overrun with plants and vines. He was young and dark haired, sitting on an aged but sturdy wooden structure while hunching over something in his lap. The prince stilled at the sight, and Ash froze beside his mate once he too noticed the human.

The prince stared for a long moment, but felt his lips start to pull back when he recognized the male as Malcolm's son, Alex.

" _What do we do?"_ Ash asked from beside him, glancing around nervously whilst taking a seat on the damaged concrete. Shadows concealed them at their current spot beside yet another dilapidated building, but there was little else. If the teen male happened to look up, he could very easily spot them; even with their dark fur helping to blend them in.

" _I don't know, but I want answers,"_ Blue Eyes responded, each movement of his hand more sharp and angry than the one before it.

" _I know but- Blue Eyes, wait!"_ Ash exclaimed when the young prince marched forward, eyes shooting daggers into the human before them. When he wouldn't respond, Ash reached out and grabbed Blue Eyes' leg, even though the prince's movement threw him off balance and nearly caused him to fall. The prince let out a surprised gasp, but finally turned back to his mate. Ash panted, now halfway out of the shadows while Blue Eyes stood in the light, but started signing quickly before the other could attempt anything else.

" _We can't just-"_

A loud thud caught their attention. They must've made too much noise, for Alex had seen them and stood up while book he'd been holding was spread out on the asphalt. The group of teens stared at each other, air heavy with uneasy tension, before footsteps sounded from behind the human male and caused him to turn his head towards them.

"D...Dad!" Alex called, though he took special care not to shout.

The footsteps changed direction, now heading towards them before the leader of the small, human group that invaded their territory came outside and stood beside his son. His expression was questioning at first, but his eyes went wide when he saw Ash and Blue Eyes. But even at their distance, the prince thought he heard Malcolm swallow loudly as he stared.

Ash only stared back, but Blue Eyes let out an angry growl and marched forward.

"Wait!" Malcolm said, hands spread out in front of him in a placating gesture while Alex backed away. "I know you're probably angry-"

"My father dead! Because of you!" Blue Eyes hissed. He halted when he felt tears in his eyes, and furiously blinked them away.

"No! That isn't true! I swear!"

"Human lies!" The prince shouted.

"I'm not lying!" Malcolm protested. "Caesar's alive!"

Blue Eyes was about to spit more venom at the man, but went still when Malcolm's words resonated in his head.

"Please," the human went on. "I can prove it. Just let me show you."

Blue Eyes hesitated. He knew it couldn't be true, but at the same time a tiny, desperate glimmer of hope sparked in his heart. If the man wasn't lying...

"No trick," Blue Eyes growled.

"No tricks," Malcolm agreed. "Just follow me."

Blue Eyes looked back at Ash. His mate seemed every bit as hesitant as him, yet every bit as curious.

" _Be careful. We don't know how many there are,"_ Ash warned.

" _I know. But why didn't more come out when the boy called? And why would their leader show himself without guns?"_

"There's just three of us," Malcolm interrupted. "If that's what you're worried about. Ellie's inside with Caesar."

Blue Eyes just shot Malcolm another glare before he turned back to Ash.

" _Let's go,"_ the prince signed.

Ash nodded, and followed along as they crossed the street towards the humans. As they got closer, Malcolm shifted his focus from Blue Eyes to the speckled chimp behind him and stared, causing the prince to snarl and protectively step in front of his mate.

"You're injured," Malcolm stated, peering around Blue Eyes to see the other chimp. "Your hand- What happened to it?"

"Ape," Ash answered tiredly, and pulled his injured limb beneath his stomach and out of view.

Malcolm gave Ash an empathetic look. "I'm sorry about that," he said as the two apes approached him. "Ellie can help you. She'll take care of the wound."

Ash gave another nod. With that, Malcolm turned and went inside the building while the three teenagers trailed behind him.

Unlike the huts in the colony, this one was extremely rotten inside; clearly left to be reclaimed by the growing plants that covered most of the structure. A good place for an ambush, Blue Eyes noticed, as it seemed unlikely that anyone would want to stay here for long.

But then Malcolm led them around a corner, and a sharp gasp cut through the buzzing silence. And when the young prince turned towards the source of the noise and took in the worn looking chimp lying on his back, his entire body went stiff with disbelief.

"Son," the ape said, his hand reaching out while the golden-green of his eyes lit up at the sight of the prince. He looked the same as the last time Blue Eyes had seen him.

Caesar. His father…

Alive.

Blue Eyes approached slowly, even though he wanted to run, as some part of him still screamed that this couldn't be real. But that part silenced and died when the young ape laid a hand on his father's elbow, only for the ape king to grasp his in return.

'Or maybe not the same,' he realized as he noticed the closed gunshot wound on Caesar's chest, and felt a low growl vibrate through his own. But Caesar noticed where his son's eyes had gone, and his grip tightened slightly. The gesture was enough to regain the young ape's attention, and he met his father's gaze once more.

"Not human," Caesar spoke as he nodded towards this treated wound. "Koba."

Blue Eyes' only response was to stare. The sudden rush of shame and guilt was overwhelming, and he didn't know what to say. But he tried to think of something until Caesar turned his head slightly and his gaze landed on something behind the prince.

"Ash," he said, and smiled warmly at his advisor's son. Blue Eyes turned, just in time to see the speckled chimp return the look before he crouched beside him. But as quickly as Caesar smiled at the young ape, a concerned frown replaced it when he took in the chimp's unsteady and paling form.

"What wrong?" Caesar asked.

"Koba," Ash whispered, and showed Caesar his bloody hand. The king's soulful eyes narrowed with rage at the sight.

"Why shoot you?" he asked, then turned back to Blue Eyes and looked him over, his worried gaze landing on his son's face. Or more specifically, the left side where Ash had said bruises from Koba's beatings were starting to form.

" _He wanted us to shoot unarmed humans,"_ Blue Eyes quickly explained, and tried his best to make the response seem natural and honest even as he lied for the second time that day. " _He shot Ash and ordered his guards to take us away when we refused. He said he was going to decide what to do with us later."_

" _It all happened this morning,"_ Ash added. " _But we escaped, and we've been hiding from other apes ever since."_

Caesar didn't say anything, but reached out towards Blue Eyes and gently turned his head to the side with a soft grip on his chin. The young prince fought the urge to pull away as his father studied the bruises on his face. He'd been spending all his time worrying about Ash and escaping the other apes, and had forgotten all about Koba hitting him there with the butt of his gun. But the reminder caused the injuries on his face and stomach to throb.

"Koba?" Caesar asked, voice laced with barely contained rage. Blue Eyes nodded, and pointed to his abdomen when his father asked if he'd been hit anywhere else.

" _I'm so sorry,"_ Blue Eyes signed when Caesar looked into his eyes again. " _For everything."_

"No," his father grated out. "I. Am to blame."

" _But Koba betrayed you,"_ Blue Eyes argued, then stopped when his father shook his head.

"I. Chose. To trust him," Caesar shot back. "Because. He is ape. I always. Think. Ape. Better. Than human. I see now. How much. Like them we are."

Then the king straightened slightly, and gave both the young apes an intense look as he asked, "Where. Koba now?"

" _We don't know,"_ Ash answered. " _But where ever he is, loyal apes are around him."_

"And. Those. Who not follow?"

" _Prisoners."_ Ash's eyes dampened, and he sniffled heavily as he signed, " _Maurice_. _My father. Any who remain loyal to you."_

Caesar said nothing, but sparks flashed in his gold-flecked eyes when the speckled chimp's began to spill tears.

" _Fear makes others follow,"_ Ash went on. " _But when they see you alive, they will turn from Koba."_

"Not if I am weak," Caesar countered. "Ape always. Seek strongest branch."

Then the king let out a heavy breath.

"I must do something," He wheezed, and begun rising on his elbows. "To stop him."

But Blue Eyes took hold of his shoulders before he could get far and gently pushed his father back onto the couch. He let out a few breathy pant-hoots to calm Caesar down, then went silent for a moment as he gathered his breath and grunted, "Father."

The king halted his motion, and looked straight into his son's eyes as the younger ape rasped, "Let. Me. Help you."

A proud smile formed on Caesar's mouth, and he reached out to cup the side of the prince's head in a loving gesture. Blue Eyes sighed as he rested his cheek in Caesar's palm, and his free hand laid itself on his father's arm again.

Blue Eyes thoroughly enjoyed the attention until Caesar dropped his hand, and he realized just then how much he missed being close with the older ape. So much time had passed since they'd been father and son, and he shot Caesar another blissful smile before he turned around to glance at Ash. His mate was still crouching beside him, though he was faced towards Malcolm and his family, watching them at the other end of the room. And the humans, now joined by Ellie, stared back. Once they noticed they had the king and prince's attention, Ellie cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Malcolm told me that you were injured," she said, her voice kind as she gazed at Ash. "Do you mind if I take a look?"

The speckled chimp nodded quickly, and followed the human woman as she headed into another room. Blue Eyes turned and glanced at his father while Malcolm and Alex went their own ways, though Caesar just nodded and gestured for him to go with Ash. He nodded and patted his father's arm before standing up and following Ellie and his mate.

They had gone to a room adjacent to the one his father was lying in. There was a old, long abandoned nest, surrounded by other worn looking furniture. Ash was sitting on the soft material, his injured hand in the human woman's lap as she examined it. Blue Eyes hooted softly to announce his presence and took a seat beside the speckled chimp. His mate gave him an appreciative smile as their sides touched, and the prince could feel his free hand slide across his lower back before he rested it on his hip. Naturally, Blue Eyes laid his hand over Ash's, and his mate turned his palm over so their fingers could interlock.

"Well," Ellie suddenly spoke up. "The bullet went through, so I don't have to remove anything…"

Both the young apes felt a sense of dread as she trailed off, and paid close attention while she searched for the right words.

"However, the wound needs to be stitched shut. If left the way it is, it could get infected."

"Stitched?" Blue Eyes asked and tilted his head curiously at the foreign word.

"Yes. Just like I did with Caesar," she answered, then let go of Ash momentarily as she bent over to dig around in the bag she'd brought with her. When she turned towards them again, she had a thin, metal object with a hole on one end and some extremely thin twine. Blue Eyes felt himself getting nervous, especially when he realized the metal was pointy and sharp on one side.

"First I have to thread the needle," Ellie explained, and proceeded to do just that while the apes watched. When finished, she raised her head and went on to say, "I'm very sorry to do this to you. I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going to have to poke you with this."

Ash tensed up, but managed to croak out, "Why do that?"

"I need to stick the needle through one side of the wound, then the other," she said. By now she'd put the threaded needle on her knee, and reclaimed Ash's hand while demonstrating what she would do with the tip of her finger.

"Then I can pull the thread though, which will keep the wound closed while it heals and help speed up the process." Then she paused again, and added as an afterthought, "I'll have to do both sides, too, I'm afraid."

Blue Eyes felt Ash's grip on him tighten when Ellie turned back to her bag again, and a glance at the speckled chimp's face showed he was terrified. He seemed to be having second thoughts about this.

"Ash," the prince whispered, and gained his mate's attention before he signed, " _I know this is scary, but you need to let her do this._ " He paused, and made sure the speckled chimp knew, " _Everything will be fine. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."_

Ash only swallowed nervously.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention," Ellie suddenly spoke, showing the two a bottle she had retrieved. "I'll need to disinfect the wound, too."

"Hurts?" Ash shakily asked.

Ellie gave him an empathetic look. "Unfortunately, yes."

Ash let out a breathy sigh, but resigned himself to the unavoidable and held out his hand. "Do what. You have to."

Ellie didn't do anything for a moment, but soon laid her hand on Ash's arm and told him, "I'm truly sorry. I wish I could do things differently, but I used all the painkillers we had on Caesar."

His only response was to tell the human woman, "Make it quick."

"I'll try," Ellie said whilst opening the bottle.

The second she did, a strong smell graced the ape's sensitive noses, almost burning with its intensity. Though it was muffled when Ellie put a cloth over the opening and tipped it upside down, the strange scent remained. Once satisfied, she set the bottle aside and picked up Ash's hand, the soaked cloth held firmly in her other.

"Ready?" She asked him.

Ash nodded, and Ellie placed the cloth on the wound.

The speckled chimp let out a loud cry, and his grip went from steady to bone-crushing within a moment. Blue Eyes nuzzled his cheek and let out gentle hoots to shush him as Ellie gently dabbed both sides of the wound. When she finally deemed it enough and pulled the bloodstained cloth away, Ash laid his head on Blue Eyes' shoulder. He was shaking and panting, so the prince's free hand moved from his mate's waist to the back of his head and rubbed him as he settled down.

Once Ash had gone quiet again, the prince watched out of the corner of his eye as Ellie picked up the needle and thread. His mate glanced at the human woman too, and buried his face in Blue Eyes' neck when he realized what she was about to do. While Ash clutched him, the prince rested the side of his head on top of the speckled chimp's and whispered to him softly as Ellie began stitching the wound.

Blue Eyes could feel and hear Ash's muffled screams every time the human woman stuck the needle into his flesh, and his heart broke a little more with each tortured cry his mate let out. He did everything he could think of, from gentle whispers to sifting his fingers through Ash's fur, but his mate seemed to ignore it all as he gripped Blue Eyes' hand and sobbed. Eventually the prince stopped his attempts and hugged Ash tightly instead, hoping the firm pressure around his body would give him something stronger to focus on.

By the time Ellie announced that she was done and started cleaning her supplies, Ash had been reduced to a shaking mess in Blue Eyes' arms, wounded hand now lying limp in his lap as loud whimpers and hoots left his mouth. The prince managed to meet the human's eyes after she was done packing up, and she shot him a look both sorry and empathetic. He briefly nodded to her in thanks, to which she returned before standing and leaving the room. Blue Eyes was grateful for the consideration of their privacy, and watched her until she closed the door behind her.

When the sound of Ellie's departing footsteps fell silent, Ash finally raised his head and locked his glassy, bloodshot eyes with his lover's. Blue Eyes smiled at him and leaned in so their lips could touch. The prince tasted salty water as Ash pressed his mouth more firmly against his, lips gently moving against one another's while the two took advantage of their moment alone.

The prince was just reaching up a hand to cup the back of Ash's head, but more footsteps sounded outside, ones that sounded heavier than Ellie's. The two broke apart immediately and stared at the door. After a moment or two, whoever it was walked past and stopped somewhere nearby. Muffled voices could be heard, and Blue Eyes easily identified it as Malcolm and Alex. The father and son spoke for a bit, but eventually stopped and went to another part of the house.

Ash let out a sigh of relief and laid his head on Blue Eyes' shoulder again. He looked thoroughly exhausted, and like he still felt the effects of Ellie's stitching. Just the thought of it had the prince leaning in and nuzzling his mate in a comforting gesture.

" _I'm proud of you,"_ Blue Eyes signed.

" _Thanks,"_ Ash wearily responded, and closed his eyes. The prince assumed he was done talking, at least until he lifted his uninjured hand and signed, " _How long do you think the pain will last?"_

" _I don't know,"_ Blue Eyes admitted. " _How bad is it?"_

" _My hand feels like it's on fire, and it keeps throbbing."_

Blue Eyes glanced at the treated wound and swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. Despite being cleaned and shut, the injury was red and swollen. The prince couldn't even imagine how much pain his mate was in right now, and found himself signing, " _I'm sorry."_

Ash raised his head and gave the prince a confused look. " _For what?"_

" _For everything. I...I should've done more."_

" _Should've done more!?"_ Ash exclaimed. " _You did everything you could, Blue Eyes!"_

" _Koba hurt you."_

" _He hurt you, too!"_ Ash fired back. " _He beat you!"_

" _And he shot you!"_ The prince retorted, and grimaced as the bang of the gun and Ash's screams rang in his skull. He gulped, and told his mate, " _I got off easy."_

Not even a moment later, Ash took Blue Eyes' face with his good hand and turned it so the prince was looking straight at him.

" _You're right, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash admitted. " _I was shot, but it would've been a lot worse if it wasn't for you. You_ _saved_ _me from Koba."_ Then a look of pure discomfort flashed across his features, but he still signed. " _And from...Anthony."_

Blue Eyes stiffened when Ash mentioned the now deceased ape. The fact that he thought he had the right to violate Ash was enough to make the prince's blood boil, and he let out an angry snort.

" _Please don't blame yourself, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash went on, and fixed his lover with a pleading stare. " _You can't control everything, you must realize that."_

Blue Eyes let out a heavy sigh. " _I know, Ash. But still…"_

" _You did everything you could,"_ Ash interrupted. " _You're my hero, Blue Eyes. And I'll never forget that."_

Finally the prince smiled and nodded towards his mate, even though some part of him felt he didn't deserve to be called such a thing; that Ash's injury was his fault in the first place because he should've done things differently. But to say so would probably upset Ash again, so he ignored it.

Ash returned the look just before he hugged Blue Eyes, and the prince eagerly leaned into the speckled chimp's warm body. He could feel Ash's breath stirring the fur against his neck, and his mate's musky scent filled his nostrils, acting as a relaxing agent for his racing mind. It was exactly what he needed after today, and wanted to spend hours in Ash's arms, but his father and the humans would expect them soon.

With that Blue Eyes pulled away, gave Ash one last kiss, and signed, " _We should probably join the others now."_

" _Before we do that,"_ Ash started, and stopped Blue Eyes from getting up. " _Should we tell Caesar? About us?"_

It was as if a bomb had been dropped, and the previous gentle mood vanished as the prince fidgeted in his seat. " _After what happened, I really don't want to…"_

" _Me either,"_ Ash admitted. " _But if we don't, the other apes will. At least we can tell your father how we came to be mates, but all the others can tell him is what Koba told them."_

Blue Eyes grimaced again. The thought terrified him, especially considering how the other apes had reacted, but Ash was right. It was best that Caesar heard the truth from them, instead of Koba's version of their relationship.

" _Okay,"_ he agreed. " _But not tonight. I think we've dealt with enough today."_

" _Fine. Tomorrow then,"_ Ash signed firmly, to which Blue Eyes nodded.

With that settled, both apes rose to their feet and exited the room to go back to Caesar. The older ape smiled at them as they approached, and pulled Ash in so they could touch foreheads when the two took a seat on the floor beside him.

"You okay now?" Caesar asked Ash.

" _Not really,"_ the younger ape signed, and showed Caesar his treated wound. " _But I'll get better."_

Caesar smiled at that. "Good to hear," he said, before the pleasant look slipped off his face and he drew a deep breath. It was something Blue Eyes had seen his father do many times in council meetings, and knew he was preparing for a discussion.

"We cannot. Leave Rocket. And others. Imprisoned," Caesar stated. His voice sounded calm, though the furrow of his hairless brow gave away his unease. "I fear. What Koba will do."

Blue Eyes perked up at his father's words. Ash had said the same thing last night, and now more than ever, it was clear that their former uncle was unstable and needed to be stopped. However, there was only three of them, two of which were wounded and in no condition to fight right now. They needed some time to recover, and a good number of allies, if they wanted to have a chance at succeeding…

" _I'll get them out,"_ Blue Eyes signed, suddenly but confidently.

"What?!" Ash barked from beside him, interrupting a concerned Caesar before he could speak. " _No! It's too dangerous! You can't go back…"_

" _I have to, Ash! We can't leave them there and I'm the only one who isn't badly injured!"_

"This dangerous. Son," Caesar cut in. "Think about it-"

" _What is there to think about!? I'm right, and you know it! I have to do this father!"_

It had to be him. He blindly followed Koba, let the older ape use him, which resulted in the imprisonment of their family members, countless other lives lost that didn't need to be, and his mate being injured and nearly killed. It was his fault, and he had to do something to correct that.

To his surprise, Caesar stayed quiet after his outburst instead of reprimanding him like he expected. Though the king clearly didn't want to admit it, Blue Eyes knew Caesar thought he was right.

There was no other way around it.

" _I'll be careful,"_ Blue Eyes finally continued, after his father stayed silent. " _And I'll bring them back here. I swear."_

Caesar still seemed very much against this, and Blue Eyes understood why, but eventually let out a defeated sigh and met his son's eyes. Yet even through the fear and reluctance, Blue Eyes swore there was a hint of pride and respect in the king's lively orbs. He wasn't entirely sure, but the thought caused a warm feeling to spread throughout his chest. It was something he'd been waiting to see for a long time.

"Be careful. Blue Eyes," Caesar commanded. "Do not do. Anything reckless."

Blue Eyes fought the urge to brush his bear marks with his fingers, and straightened up instead as he swore, " _Of course, father. I won't disappoint you."_

But Caesar just shook his head. "Do not care. About that. I just want you. Alive."

Blue Eyes didn't respond this time, but leaned forward and pressed his forehead against his father's instead. He felt Caesar's rough palm on the side of his head, and he pulled them closer in a familiar, fatherly gesture.

The young ape enjoyed the contact, but pulled away after a moment and turned to face Ash, only to find that the speckled chimp had turned his back on him. The sight caused a worried feeling to spark in his heart, and he reached out to place his hand on Ash's shoulder,

To his surprise, the other laid his palm over it. Ash didn't turn around, but whispered in a defeated tone, "Promise me. You'll come back."

"I promise," Blue Eyes swore without hesitation.

Before he could utter the final syllable, Ash had his face buried in Blue Eyes' chest, body quaking with held-in sobs as he wrapped his arms around his waist. The prince returned the hug immediately, and held him tightly while his mate fought to get his emotions under control.

Ash backed away after a short while, looking more devastated and worried than Blue Eyes had ever seen him, but he offered no more resistance to the prince's decision.

Footsteps sounded behind them, and the prince turned to see Malcolm hesitantly watching the three apes. He looked as if he wanted something, so Blue Eyes offered a small smile and waved him over, to which the human gratefully accepted.

"I'm sorry to bother you, if you were having a moment…" Malcolm apologized.

"Is fine," Blue Eyes promised.

"I just wanted to ask, did you guys see a man named Dreyfus?"

Blue Eyes cocked his head in confusion until Malcolm excitedly stammered, "H...He's older. Around sixty or so. His hair's graying and he has wiry glasses on his face."

The prince felt his heart skip a beat when he realized who Malcolm was referring to, and hung his head in shame as he admitted, "Saw him. He in cage. Now."

Malcolm had started to smile when he first spoke, but his face fell once the prince told him where the old man was. He considered that for a long moment, then asked, "Were there others with him?"

"Dead," Blue Eyes whispered, and dropped his gaze before he could see the human's reaction.

"Oh," was all the Malcolm uttered, the word more of an exhale than an actual response.

"I'm sorry," Blue Eyes apologized. "My fault."

"Don't blame yourself," he heard Malcolm say, causing the ape to look up in surprise. Then the man came forward and kneeled beside him before placing a hand on the prince's shoulder. "Caesar already explained everything. You were tricked, and none of this is on you."

Despite the human's reassurances, Blue Eyes didn't feel like he was as innocent as everyone kept telling him he was. But he didn't have any energy spared for arguing anymore, so he stayed silent and nodded his head before taking his eyes off Malcolm and staring at the floor. He felt the human pat him gently, but thankfully left the conversation at that and took his leave.

Deep down inside, Blue Eyes knew he was to blame, if only partially, for everything.

But he was going to right that wrong tomorrow, and he wasn't going to let anything, or anyone, stand in his way.


	12. A Secret no More

Blue Eyes adjusted his position, rotating his hips and adjusting his head on the hard surface beneath him, or as much as he could with a slumbering Ash pressed against him. He wondered how many times he'd done that since laying down, and wished he'd accepted Ellie's earlier offering of a blanket or two. Even if he and Ash didn't need the warmth it would bring, the cushion against the unforgiving floor would be delightful.

Everyone around him was asleep, with his father still lying on the couch and Malcolm's family in their sleeping bags, as they called them, behind Ash. When everyone had first lay down, his mate approached him immediately and laid beside him. Blue Eyes tried to protest, considering that his father and the humans would witness their actions, but Ash only shook his head and refused to budge. Eventually, the prince decided it didn't matter since they were going to come out tomorrow anyway, but feeling Caesar's eyes on them when Ash buried his face in Blue Eyes' neck and embraced him was still unnerving to the young ape.

Blue Eyes desperately hoped his father would accept them. The ape king had spent the evening talking with Ash and himself, and being a family again gave Blue Eyes a sense of happiness that he'd been without for a long time. If that was all destroyed because Caesar was against their relationship…

The prince snorted quietly and tried to force the thought from his mind. It wouldn't do any good to think about it when he was trying to get some sleep. But hearing Caesar's quiet breathing, his body within reaching distance behind the prince's back, only served to make calming down more difficult.

Originally, Blue Eyes had wanted to leave tonight, just to do some scouting and see if he could begin forming a plan to get their family and friends out. Unfortunately, Caesar and Ash managed to convince him to rest for now and put off his mission until tomorrow night. His mate had been especially persistent, and Blue Eyes thought it had something to do with him being unable to convince the prince to stay altogether. The speckled chimp was just biding his time and holding on to him as long as he could. Not that Blue Eyes blamed him, of course. He'd do the same thing.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Ash let out a quiet sigh in his sleep and nuzzled his face into Blue Eyes' fur. The sight warmed his heart, and Blue Eyes pulled him a little closer to tuck his mate's body more firmly against his. Grey fur tickled his nose, though the prince paid it little mind as he inhaled Ash's earthy scent, thick and rich with a smokey undertone to it. The smell was more faded than Blue Eyes remembered, but it was comforting all the same.

Finally the prince felt his body starting to relax with Ash's scent settling his racing mind. But a muffled, fearful cry from the speckled chimp snapped him awake. He pulled back immediately to ask if he was alright, but his mate's eyes were tightly closed, face scrunched in a harsh grimace. Blue Eyes realized Ash was just having a nightmare, and rubbed his back gently while debating if he should wake the speckled chimp.

But movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and he looked over to see Alex staring at him.

The human blinked slowly, clearly still lethargic as he propped himself on an elbow and regarded the two apes curiously. His eyes moved between them, but settled on Ash when the sleeping chimp let out another moan. Blue Eyes kept stroking him, but increased the pressure as he waited for the boy to do something.

"Is he okay?" Alex asked.

"Bad dream," Blue Eyes answered.

"What about you?" the human questioned. When Blue Eyes only gave him a confused look, he elaborated with, "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" the prince answered, though he spoke too quickly for the response to seem natural or honest.

Alex seemed to pick up on that, and fidgeted with his fingers nervously. "It's okay, if you don't want to talk about it," he said, and the prince could tell by his tone that he wasn't sure if he was crossing a line by prodding. "I was just asking...Since you seem a little stressed…"

Blue Eyes sighed heavily. The word 'stressed' seemed like an understatement compared to what he was experiencing right now. But perhaps talking would do some good. He was withholding a lot, and Alex didn't seem like the type to spread other's secrets, or be overly judgemental. And his shy, quiet nature only served to further convince Blue Eyes that it was safe to open up to him.

"No," he finally admitted. "Not okay. Many things. Wrong."

Alex nodded, and hummed quietly for a moment. "Do you want to...You know...Talk?"

Blue Eyes just shrugged. "Not sure."

"Well, I promise I won't tell anybody," the boy said. "Not even my dad, if you don't want me to."

"Promise?" Blue Eyes asked.

"Promise," Alex confirmed, his earnest face and kind eyes confirming the truth in his words.

Blue Eyes took a moment to think over everything that he'd experienced in the last couple of days. Where to start…

"Apes not act. Like apes," he began, flashes of that murdered girl and his own public humiliation running through his mind. "Act like. Animals. Now."

"How so?"

"Watch them. Kill. Harmless humans," Blue Eyes explained. "And Koba. Shot Ash. I…" Even now, coming to terms with the fact that his own family tried to kill his mate was a hard memory to bare. And even harder to say out loud.

"Before that. He was. Uncle. To me," he finally finished.

"He did that just because you wouldn't kill humans?" Alex asked.

Blue Eyes shook his head and sighed, though he knew it wasn't the boy's fault for getting it wrong. After all, he had told both his father and the humans that was the reason he and Ash had to run.

"No," Blue Eyes admitted, and gestured down to a now silent Ash. "We have. Secret."

"What kind of secret?" Alex asked, head cocked curiously with a raised brow.

"Not friends. Like father think. Ash and I. In love," he stated, and waited expectantly for a disgusted look to cross Alex's face.

It didn't come, but the human did seem shocked. "Really? Is that why you two left the other apes?"

"Yes. Found us. Together. Got mad. And shot Ash," he said while gesturing to his mate's injured hand, still lying undisturbed on the floor between them.

"Guards. Took us away. Tried to...Hurt us. I stop them."

Blue Eyes didn't want to elaborate any further, but something in his tone must've tipped Alex off and let him know there was more to the story. "How?" The human asked. "And what do you mean by, 'tried to hurt you'?"

"Tried to..." Blue Eyes started, then stopped when the images came flooding back, still as disgusting and heart-wrenching as when it happened. It took a moment for him to fight past it, including the phantom sensation against his backside where Oliver had pressed against him, and grate out, "Force us. To mate. I kill them."

Alex gave him a look of pure shock. "O...Oh," He stammered, mouth gaping like a fish out of water. The young ape might've laughed, had the circumstances been different. "Sorry. I'm not trying to be rude, but I wasn't expecting...Something like that."

"We not. Expect it. Either," Blue Eyes said.

"Wow that's...awful. Neither of you deserved that."

Blue Eyes nodded and looked down at the floor, the loud silence now tainted with bad memories. Both from when they were almost raped, and from when Koba had them dragged in front of the other apes and humiliated. Speaking of which...

"Alex?" Blue Eyes suddenly asked, causing the other to pay attention to him again.

"What you think. About Ash. And I?"

"You mean, you two being together?"

Blue Eyes nodded.

"Well, if you love each other, I think you should have the right to be more than friends," he said, and shot Blue Eyes a soft smile. "After all, love is love, right?"

The prince breathed a sigh of relief, and returned Alex's smile. "Thank you. Apes not. Accept us. I worry. Father. Will not."

"I think he will," Alex supplied. "You're his son. If Ash makes you happy, I think he'll see that and allow you to be together."

Blue Eyes started to respond, but felt Ash's head stir the fur on his chest again. He looked down at the motion, and caught the white of his mate's eyes before he could close them again.

"Ash?" He said quietly, and accusingly.

The speckled chimp lifted his head, and looked back and forth between him and Alex with a slight smile both apologetic and elated.

The prince sighed, and dropped the matter entirely before he asked, "You awake. Long?"

"Long enough," Ash replied, and carefully rolled over to face Alex. Blue Eyes couldn't see his expression, but the speckled chimp reached out and pulled Alex in for a quick hug. The human accepted the embrace, and patted Ash a couple times before his mate released him.

"Thank you," Ash said.

"No problem," Alex assured. "And good luck, by the way."

The two chimps nodded, and Ash turned back to Blue Eyes as Alex rolled over. The speckled chimp reclaimed his place against the prince's body, but didn't bury his face in the dark fur like Blue Eyes expected. Instead Ash stared at him, emerald eyes bright in the murky dark.

" _You need to sleep, Blue Eyes,"_ he signed, with a look on his face that left little room for argument.

" _I know, Ash. I'm trying,"_ the prince protested. " _But I can't stop thinking about everything!"_

Ash shook his head and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. " _You worry too much. Just think about us, and our future together."_

Blue Eyes considered the suggestion. " _I'll try,"_ he signed, but exhaled harshly as his mind kept racing with negative thoughts. " _But what if something happens tomorrow?"_ He rambled. " _Or the next day, and we never get to..."_

" _Don't think about that,"_ his mate interrupted. Before Blue Eyes could respond, Ash's hand slid from his tense shoulder and, with a soft caress, gently glided up his neck until it reached his face. The speckled chimp palmed his cheek and used the leverage to pull their foreheads together. Blue Eyes let out a soft sigh at the contact and focused on returning his attention to Ash's relaxing scent. Within moments, his body began to relax, the tight muscles loosening and allowing his body to sink into the floor.

"No good. To worry. Now," his mate whispered, white-flecked lips brushing against the prince's as he spoke.

Blue Eyes nodded and let his body rest against the wood beneath them. Ash followed suite, but gave him a warm, chaste kiss before burying his forehead against the prince's throat and cuddling against him.

"I love you," he heard Ash mumble, the sound slightly muffled though still easily understandable.

"I love you, too," Blue Eyes whispered back, and pulled his mate more firmly against him. A few seconds passed before he buried his face in the speckled chimp's fur again. Ash let out a soft, throaty noise, and Blue Eyes felt his lips brush against his neck at the same moment his mate's uninjured hand slipped into his. He squeezed it gently, reassuringly, and Blue Eyes did the same before closing his eyes.

He didn't think about what tomorrow would bring, or the next few days. Instead he followed Ash's advice and focused on the distant future; one where there was peace, happiness, and the speckled chimp forever by his side.

He imagined waking up in the morning with Ash in his bed, the soft, buttery light cascading across his features while the sight brought back memories of making sweet love the night before. The birds would be chirping outside, accompanied by the sound of fellow villagers starting their day as Blue Eyes gently shook his mate awake. He would kiss him once those leafy eyes were open, and Ash would return the embrace as he pulled the prince atop him...

Before he was even aware, Blue Eyes fell into deep sleep.

…

BANG

BANG

CLANG

The combination of loud noises jerked the prince awake, and he straightened into a sitting position immediately. He stared in the general direction of the noise, and was about to reach for Ash's hand when Malcolm poked his head out of the nearby kitchen.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You two can go back to sleep. I just dropped something."

Blue Eyes released a heavy breath, one that he didn't realize he was holding, and let his body drop down onto the floor again. Now that adrenaline wasn't pumping through his veins, he could hear Ash's muffled laughter from beside him. He turned to playfully glare at his mate, but the speckled chimp only laughed harder and tried to stifle the noise in his palm.

" _Would you be quiet?"_ he signed to Ash. Though he tried hard not to, he couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips.

" _How can I?"_ His mate replied. " _You should've seen the look on your face!"_

Blue Eyes let out a mock-growl and pulled Ash against him. Before his mate could react, the prince wrapped one arm around his neck to hold him in place while he ground his knuckles against the top of his head. Ash shrieked with howling laughter as he tried to get Blue Eyes to stop, but his bucking and twisting made little progress until the prince released him on his own.

Ash leapt away as if he'd been burned and turned to face Blue Eyes on his three useable limbs, body lowered into a mock-fighting stance. It seemed like he was contemplating going after the prince, but plopped onto the floor after he glanced at his injured hand.

" _You're lucky,"_ Ash threatened playfully. " _But I'll get you when you least expect it."_

" _We'll see,"_ Blue Eyes signed back.

His mate lifted his hands to respond, but a stern cough drew his attention away. The prince turned to see his father standing in the entryway of the room, shaking his head amusedly at the sight before him. Blue Eyes shot him an innocent smile, to which Caesar only raised a hairless brow before taking a seat on his couch. The younger apes followed and sat before him. They waited until Caesar had adjusted himself before signing, " _Good morning."_

" _Good morning, you two,"_ the king replied with one-handed sign. " _Sleep well?"_

" _It was alright,"_ Blue Eyes supplied with a light smile on his lips.

But instead of returning the look, Caesar took the younger ape by surprise with a heavy exhale and a serious, intensive stare. Yet that surprise turned to anxiety once Blue Eyes recognized the expression Caesar wore like a mask over his rugged face as the same he'd always used when interrogating the prince as a child. Unfortunately, his father allowed his son little time to process this before he jumped straight to the point.

" _I wanted to talk to you both about that, actually,"_ he signed. " _You two were...Very close last night."_ He paused, and made sure to make heavy eye contact with both of them. " _Is something going on?"_

Blue Eyes quickly dropped his father's gaze and glanced at Ash, only to see his mate sporting a rather alarmed look before he turned his head away from Caesar, too. They'd both agreed to confess today, but they never expected to have to do it so soon.

"Ash, Blue Eyes," Caesar spoke, when neither said a word. " _If something's wrong, you two can tell me. You know that, right?"_

Blue Eyes wanted a little reassurance and tried to catch Ash's eye again, but the speckled chimp kept his gaze firmly locked on the floor. Multiple seconds ticked by, and the quietness of the room boomed like thunder as Caesar glanced back and forth between them. More so as time went on and he became more impatient.

" _Your silence only makes me more worried,"_ Caesar continued, though Blue Eyes only saw the signs out of the corner of his eye.

" _It...It's not easy to explain, father,"_ he finally answered. " _We just...Don't want you to be mad."_

" _And why would I be mad?"_ Caesar questioned, while bending down as far as he could to try and meet his son face to face. Blue Eyes noticed this, and worked up the nerve to look at him. It was hard to sit there with his father staring straight into his eyes, the golden-green practically penetrating his soul, while also knowing that lying to Caesar wasn't going to work like it did yesterday; not while he was suspicious and knew they were hiding something.

So he finally looked to Ash one more time, and grabbed his hand instead when his mate kept his head down. The touch prompted Ash to return his attention to the prince, and though he seemed nervous, he nodded.

Blue Eyes let out a heavy breath and turned back to his father, his free hand raising so he could sign, " _Ash and I aren't friends anymore."_

Caesar's eyes narrowed, and Blue Eyes' heart nearly stopped until he realized his father was just confused, but not at all angry as he questioned, " _What do you mean, Blue Eyes?"_

" _I mean…"_ the prince shakily explained, steeling himself for what he was about to admit and hoping his father would understand.

" _We're in love."_

When he finished the last sign, Caesar's eyes went wide. He started looking back and forth between the two of them, but eventually set his gaze back on his son and studied his face intently. He seemed to be searching for signs that he'd misunderstood, or that Blue Eyes was making something up to avoid telling the truth.

" _When...Did this happen?"_ Caesar asked, after he'd found none. The prince had been preparing himself for a negative reaction, but the fact that Caesar kept a neutral gaze with an inquisitive stare only made him more nervous.

But if he and Ash wanted a future, they were going to have to come out of hiding. And they would start by telling their story.

" _In the spring,"_ Blue Eyes said. " _Just a few weeks before the summer. We've been keeping it a secret ever since."_

As the words flowed out of his fingers, the fact that they'd been hiding this for so long hit the prince hard. It was early in the fall now, yet it felt like only yesterday that he and Ash proclaimed their love to each other in their tree hut.

" _And...How…Did it happen?"_ Caesar continued.

Blue Eyes could feel his heart beating erratically. He knew, approval of their love or not, that Caesar was going to be furious when he found out exactly how they came together.

" _You won't like this,"_ Ash finally spoke up. " _Just, please, hear us out."_

Caesar only nodded.

" _We found a wooden hut in the trees,"_ Blue Eyes explained, and kept a close eye on his father's expression all the while. " _We went farther from the colony than normal, and decided to explore inside. There was a book in there. It had...interesting things in it."_

" _What kind of things?"_ Caesar asked.

" _Sexual things,"_ Ash signed after a long moment.

Blue Eyes wasn't sure if Ash noticed this or not, but his father's mask cracked a little. Though Caesar had recovered and fixed the break quickly, the prince was able to see a spark of fury before the older ape covered it up.

"Continue," he said, and in between the threads of his voice, the prince picked out a dead calm that he'd long since learned to associate with extreme anger.

" _We were curious about what we saw, so we...tried it out,"_ Blue Eyes admitted, having already decided to spare his father some of the more intimate details. " _And we enjoyed it, so we kept going back to have sex."_

" _That is why you were always asking to leave the village, then?"_ Caesar asked, and even though the answer was obvious, the corners of his eyes pinched together when the two lovers nodded

" _But then we started getting closer,"_ Blue Eyes continued, while Ash fumbled for words beside him. " _It took time, but soon I wanted more than sex from Ash. I...I wanted him to love me, too."_

" _And I felt the same,"_ Ash jumped in. " _Then Blue Eyes confessed one day. He said that he wanted me, as a mate. I told him that I felt the same, and we've been together ever since."_

" _And there's something else!"_ the prince hastily signed, interrupting his father who was about to ask another question. " _We weren't honest with you yesterday, either."_

" _About what?"_ Caesar asked with a raised brow.

" _About why we had to leave the apes,"_ Blue Eyes said. " _One of Koba's guards caught us together, so Koba had his allies drag Ash and I in front of the others to humiliate us."_

The young prince swallowed hard.

" _They all started insulting us, like we were animals instead of fellow apes. Koba let them do that, then shot Ash after he pleaded with him to stop."_

Blue Eyes risked another glance up. Caesar definitely looked angry now, though he still tried to repress it until he heard the full story.

" _Then...Koba tried to kill Ash."_

His father's eyes went wide with shock, but contorted with raw fury a moment later. Now he wasn't even bothering to hide his own emotions, and it was a slight relief for Blue Eyes, because now Caesar's anger wasn't directed at them.

" _I had to charge at him, to stop him. But Koba's guards pulled me off. Then he beat me with his gun, and told Anthony and Oliver to take us away and keep an eye on us until he decided what to do."_

Blue Eyes paused momentarily. What he was about to sign next wasn't going to be easy.

" _But when they had us alone, they tried to-"_

A loud sniffle cut him off, and Blue Eyes turned to see that Ash was starting to cry.

" _Can we skip this part, please?"_ He frantically asked, face already damp with tears. " _I...I don't want to…"_

Blue Eyes pulled him into his arms when the speckled chimp trailed off, only for Ash to bury his face in the prince's neck and start sobbing loudly. He rubbed his mate's back and hooted comfortingly in his ear to calm him, but forgot that his father was even there until a high pitched creak sounded from beside him. While he was distracted, Caesar had lowered himself onto the floor. He looked extremely worried now, but clearly wanted an answer as to why Ash was so upset.

" _Anthony and Oliver tried to...Force themselves on us."_

Caesar went completely stiff. He'd been mad before, but he was far beyond anger now. Whatever it was, Blue Eyes didn't have the words to describe it, though the emotion was eclipsed by paternal concern as the king gazed at his son and set a warm hand on his shoulder.

" _Are you two okay? Did they hurt you?"_

Blue Eyes paused for a moment, as the answer wasn't as easy as 'yes' or 'no'.

" _They didn't...Actually mount us,"_ Blue Eyes stammered. " _They tried to, but I stopped them before they could."_

His father exhaled in relief, though his fury hadn't dismissed at all. And when he met his son's eyes again, the look in them betrayed his vengeful thoughts. " _Where are they now?"_ He asked.

" _Dead,"_ Blue Eyes answered, then added, " _I killed them."_

Caesar nodded and relaxed a little, though he frowned when he noticed the guilty expression his son was trying to keep off his face. In response, he opened his arms and took both the young apes into them, gripping them both firmly as he laid his head atop his son's.

The gesture was comforting, and Blue Eyes allowed himself to lean into his father's arms. Funny, how a few days ago he would've have pushed Caesar away and angrily argued that he wasn't a child that needed to be coddled. Now he would not only accept, but return any affection given. And, although he couldn't be sure if Ash was calming on his own or because of his father's embrace, even he seemed far more relaxed now.

Caesar eventually let them go, but he did stay close. Once his father was clear, Blue Eyes pulled one arm away from Ash and turned to face him, though he kept his other around his mate's waist and allowed the speckled chimp to lean against his side.

" _That's all,"_ Blue Eyes concluded.

Caesar only nodded and fixed his eyes on the floor. He was clearly deep in thought, and the two younger apes waited as the king processed the information he was given.

" _Ash,"_ Caesar finally signed. " _You love my son?"_

" _Yes,"_ his mate answered with an affirmative nod. " _I've never loved anyone more."_

Caesar dipped his head in acknowledgment before turning to the prince. " _And Blue Eyes. You love Ash?"_

" _Yes,"_ he answered. " _I know this is strange, father, and that Ash and I didn't come together like others do. But I can't be with anyone else, not after what we've done together."_

Another nod. " _I see,"_ Caesar said, and allowed another heavy silence to follow after. Blue Eyes and Ash tensely waited for his verdict, hoping that the king would be more understanding than the other apes had.

But then Caesar took a deep breath, as if he was preparing to say something difficult. Blue Eyes felt his heart sink at the sound, and he gripped Ash tighter out of reflex.

" _Well then, a few years from now, apes will see two males becoming husbands,"_ the king declared.

The prince's eyes went wide when he saw Caesar's signs, and his mouth nearly dropped open.

"Father, I…"

Overrun with shock, Blue Eyes couldn't think of anything to say or sign. But Ash, on the other hand, practically leapt into Caesar's arms and embraced the older ape tightly. The king chuckled, and patted Ash's back as he whispered, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" multiple times.

It was only when Ash was backing off did Blue Eyes finally come forward. He swallowed thickly and opened his arms, but didn't have the chance to do much else before his father laughed again and pulled his son into an embrace. The prince held him tightly, now fighting back happy tears as he buried his head in Caesar's shoulder. If only he could force the words out…

"Do not cry, Blue Eyes," his father whispered to him.

"Sorry," The younger ape choked out. "Just so. Happy."

Caesar chuckled some and finally released him, though he made sure his forehead brushed against his son's as he pulled back. The affectionate contact drew another smile from Blue Eyes' lips while the king stood and settled himself on the couch again. Soon after Caesar left him, he felt a familiar warmth against him, and instinctively wrapped an arm around Ash. The speckled chimp hooted gently and nuzzled his cheek, causing the prince to sigh and lean into him. But a grunt from Caesar interrupted the moment, and the two turned to face the king again.

" _You may have the right to be together, but I still don't approve of mating outside of marriage,"_ he stated firmly. " _And I don't like hearing that you two have hidden this for so long. Once Koba is taken care off, I'm going to have a talk with Cornelia, Rocket, and Tinker to see how they feel about this."_

Ash ducked his head in embarrassment and Blue Eyes stiffened beside him, but both nodded regardless. They expected punishment for breaking such a rule, and would face it without complaint.

" _Of course, father,"_ Blue Eyes responded. " _And we won't mate again until we're married. I promise."_

" _Me too,"_ Ash swore.

Caesar nodded. " _See to it that you do,"_ he replied sternly.

…

Later that night, Blue Eyes was letting out soft groans, and nuzzling his mate until the speckled chimp's lips locked with his again. The prince placed his palm on the back of his mate's head, effectively locking the two together as they embraced. With such tender warmth against his mouth, a rough hand cupping his cheek, and firm pressure all over as Ash laid atop him and and gently ran his tongue along his, Blue Eyes was in complete paradise.

They may have promised Caesar that they wouldn't mate, but neither said anything about being romantic with each other.

And it was nothing short of pure luck that they found this place, dusty with scattered toys and a nest in the center, the perfect spot for a few minutes alone. Though both thought a door in the ceiling made accessible with a thin rope was strange, neither were going to waste time questioning the humans or their strange customs when they could spend quality time together.

After all, it was the last chance they had to do this before Blue Eyes left.

The thought of leaving Ash behind didn't set well with the prince, though his determination to fix the situation they were in was too strong. But knowing that Ash would have his father for company soothed him. And the humans, though he distrusted them at first, would be here with his mate, too. Already, Blue Eyes could see a friendship building between Alex and Ash, a mutual trust growing between them after their conversation the night before, and the prince hoped Alex could help Caesar keep Ash from worrying until he returned.

Suddenly his mate broke their lip lock and moved upwards, placing random pecks on his forehead with heavily lidded eyes. Blue Eyes sighed softly at the action before he pressed his mouth against Ash's throat, his lips working through the grey fur to reach dark, sensitive skin underneath and tease the flesh with quick nips and gentle licks.

The speckled chimp shivered and placed his chin atop Blue Eyes' head, effectively baring his neck to his lover's mouth and allowing him better access. Blue Eyes took advantage of the action and teased his mate until Ash was practically purring from the attention. Soon after, he tilted his head backwards and bit at one of the speckled chimp's most sensitive spots, right in the front of his throat where the skin connected his neck to his head. Ash let out a quiet bark and pulled away, to which Blue Eyes shot him a cheeky smile.

His mate raised a hairless brow, but quickly huffed and brought their mouths together again, injured hand taking its place against the prince's cheek while the other gripped his shoulder. Blue Eyes slid his own upwards from Ash's hips, dragging them firmly through fur and against heated skin until they reached the shoulder blades and held him there.

But the sound of someone clearing their throat snapped them out of their love-filled haze.

They both froze, and Blue Eyes felt his heart skip a beat in his chest as he watched Caesar step out of the shadows and come towards them. His mate scrambled off him immediately after he recognized the king, which allowed the prince to raise his hands in an attempt to defend what they were doing.

" _Don't be mad, father. I can explain…"_

But to his surprise, Caesar just laughed.

" _There's no reason to be scared,"_ he assured. " _I know you two weren't mating."_

" _How much did you see?"_ Ash asked cautiously.

" _Enough,"_ was Caesar's response as he took a seat on the nest beside them. He glanced around some, and chuckled to himself as he signed, " _I wondered if you two would find my old room."_

" _Old room?"_ Blue Eyes asked.

" _Yes. My father gave it to me, and filled it with toys and puzzles to keep me busy."_ A light smile came onto his face as he reminisced. " _I spent a lot of time up here."_

Soon after coming out to Caesar, his father had sat them both down and told them about his life before he met other apes, one that he shared with a human family. The king explained that this was his old home, and he shared it with a man named Will, his mate Caroline, and Charles, who was the father of Will. They had been together until Caesar attacked a neighboring man in order to defend Charles, and the older ape was taken to the primate shelter where he met Maurice, Rocket, and Cornelia.

With that thought in mind, Blue Eyes looked at his surroundings again, but more thoroughly this time. He supposed it looked more like an ape's room than a human's, considering all the old ropes hanging from the ceiling, like something that could be swung on.

But, he realized, if this was his father's room, then that meant the nest they were sitting in, the one he and Ash had been rolling around in, was his father's too…

Blue Eyes flushed with embarrassment, and ducked his head whilst hoping Caesar wouldn't notice. To his dismay, his father seemed to catch onto his son's mortification and let out a series of deep, throaty chuckles. He shot the prince a knowing look, and the young ape expected Caesar to tease them, but instead his father changed the subject.

" _You two really are affectionate with each other,"_ he observed casually, without judgment or disgust, Blue Eyes was happy to notice. " _I've never seen other apes do that. Only humans."_

" _We learned about that from the book in our treehouse,"_ Ash explained. " _It might not be normal for apes, but we like it."_

" _I see,"_ Caesar signed. " _That's fine_ , _so long as it doesn't go any further than that."_

" _We know, father,"_ Blue Eyes signed.

" _Good,"_ the king replied, and gave a satisfied grunt. " _But that is not what I came up here for. It's late now, and many apes are likely sleeping. If you want to get started, now would be a good time, Blue Eyes."_

" _I know,"_ the prince signed. " _I was just saying goodbye to Ash."_

His father gave an understanding nod. " _Well, say goodbye for a bit longer. I'll be waiting for you downstairs."_ With that, Caesar stood and headed for the door. The two watched him go, then turned back to one another after he was gone.

" _Are you sure you won't stay?"_ Ash asked. " _What if something bad happens?"_

" _If I don't do something, bad things will happen anyway,"_ Blue Eyes countered. " _The least I can do is try to stop it."_

The speckled chimp swallowed, and tears began to form in his eyes.

" _I know,"_ he admitted. " _I want my father back, but thinking about you risking your life out there…"_

Ash dropped his hand and hugged himself tightly. Blue Eyes crawled over and pulled him into his arms. The speckled chimp's fingers immediately gripped his fur, and the young prince kissed his cheek.

"I love you," Blue Eyes said out loud, because he felt ending this quickly was the best course of action. The longer he dragged this out, the more Ash would beg for him to stay, which was something he knew he couldn't do.

"I...I love you, too," Ash choked out, and pressed the side of his head into the prince's scarred chest.

Blue Eyes hummed lightly while he took Ash's chin with his fingers, turning his head slightly so they could kiss one last time. Ash's lips seemingly molded into his, sweet and soft as they moved together. Blue Eyes took the time to memorize the feeling of his mate's mouth against his, the speckled chimp's warm body and smokey scent overwhelming his senses as he pulled Ash closer and inhaled deeply. They made the most of their final moments together, and relished in the contact since this would be the last time they could do this until the prince returned.

And that was going to happen, Blue Eyes told himself. He would come back with their friends behind him, and he would have Ash in his arms again.

After a few seconds, Blue Eyes gently pried Ash's arms off him and scooted off the bed, all the while trying not to look at his mate's pleading expression. He halfway expected Ash to try and grab him again, but the other just followed close behind him, and the two went downstairs to meet up with Caesar.

The older ape stood by the door, and nodded to them both when they quietly approached, careful not to wake the sleeping humans in the next room. Blue Eyes shot his father one last smile as the king took him into his arms, and returned the embrace with the same intensity. Caesar held him tightly for a few seconds, then patted his head affectionately whilst he was pulling away.

" _Be careful, Blue Eyes,"_ he cautioned. " _This is important, but try not to endanger yourself too much."_ He let a moment pass, then added, " _Think before you act, son."_

The young prince's smile faltered a little. Caesar had spoken that exact sentence to him once, right after his failed hunting attempt, yet all he did was push his father away and stalk off. This time, he nodded and looked Caesar straight in the eyes as he swore, " _I promise, father. I'll come back."_

" _I know you will."_ Caesar's smile grew, and he cupped his son's head in his palm. " _I want you to know that I'm so proud of you. I've always been, but I never told you enough. I hope you can forgive me for that."_

Blue Eyes swallowed. He felt tears in his eyes, and swore he saw a silver lining in Caesar's as well.

" _I do, father. And thank you. I won't disappoint you."_

Caesar nodded and released him, then nodded towards something behind him with his head. Blue Eyes turned towards it, only to see Ash watching them with glassy eyes. The prince smiled gently and hugged him again, a gesture Ash eagerly returned.

"I love you," he heard Ash whisper.

"I love you, too," Blue Eyes said back, and pecked him on the side of the head. Ash took a deep breath before he released him, but reached down and took Blue Eyes' hand when the prince tried to step away.

" _Promise you'll come back?"_ The speckled chimp signed.

" _Of course, Ash,"_ Blue Eyes promised, and gave the other a reassuring squeeze. " _Take care of my father for me?"_

His mate nodded, and they both ignored Caesar's mock-offended scoff. " _I will. I swear."_

The prince's head bobbed in assent, and he swiped his thumb one last time over the back of Ash's hand before he let go. Then he glanced at his father, to which Caesar gave him one last nod. Blue Eyes smiled at them both, and made sure to look each in the eyes before he turned away. But, as he headed off into the night, he felt a sudden swell of emotion, one that he'd been holding back for the past few hours. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to stop and return to his mate and father.

Then the memory of Maurice in that cage flashed through his head, followed by Rocket, Luca, and the others; their wrists draped in heavy, metal chains, looking miserable and defeated as they waited for Koba to decide their fate. They needed the prince, for he was their only chance of getting out. If he didn't go, he would doom them all to an early end, and himself to remembering those he left behind. He would spend the rest of his life with a shroud of guilt hanging over him, one that would haunt him until he was buried in his grave.

Blue Eyes kept walking, and he didn't look back.


	13. Making Amends

_I'm sorry it took so long. College has kept me busy lately. I swear, they like to freak us out at the end of the semester by piling on the projects and papers. Don't think I'm abandoning this, though. Updates will just be slower._

 _Enjoy._

…

Ash sighed heavily and looked towards the darkened sky, heavily decorated with scattered stars, smokey clouds, and a nearly full moon. It was a beautiful night, tranquil, and perfect for relaxing outside. No doubt, had things been normal, he would probably be leaning against his hut's exterior, entertaining random thoughts as he observed the heavens above.

Sometimes others would join him, usually his mother or father, and they would quietly groom until they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore. Blue Eyes would also come and sit with him once in a while, and although that usually led to a bout of rough-housing and a gentle scolding from Tinker, he always enjoyed it nonetheless...

The speckled chimp violently shook his head to rid himself of the thought. He came out here to stop thinking about his mate, not be reminded of him.

A few moments passed, and Ash finally let his head droop while releasing another sigh. Trying to resist the urge to think about Blue Eyes was hopeless. In the forty-eight hours since the other left, he only ever managed brief respites before his mind returned to the scarred prince with his breathtaking eyes, well-muscled build, and a bright smile that made the speckled chimp weak in the knees…

Ash didn't even bother to stop his daydreaming this time. He missed his mate so much, and thinking about him was the only thing that was remotely comforting right now. He was tired of fighting it, even though that comfort was a double edged sword that brought feelings of anxiety and depression.

Wood creaked somewhere behind him, and a gentle hoot broke through the sounds of the otherwise silent night, though Ash only had it in him to turn his head slightly to glance at the approaching king. The corners of Caesar's lips curved upward in greeting before taking a seat next to him, but the younger ape only nodded back. The other's smile dropped, but to Ash's surprise, he stayed quiet and turned to stare out into the night beside the speckled chimp. Caesar remained that way for a long stretch of time, which was probably why it nearly startled Ash when he suddenly raised his hands.

" _How long have you been out here?"_ the king asked.

Ash watched his signs, and took a moment to ponder over the question.

" _A long time. I came soon after the humans went to sleep."_

Caesar nodded and eyed the younger chimp's worn out face, complete with dark circles beneath his usually lively leafy orbs that made him appear much older than eight.

" _You can't stop thinking about him either, can you?"_ Caesar asked.

" _I've tried,"_ Ash responded, and didn't even bother asking who the king was talking about. " _But I miss him so much."_

" _I do, too,"_ Caesar supplied.

Ash just nodded.

" _Alex is worried about you,"_ the king went on. " _I can tell."_

The speckled chimp smiled slightly. " _He tries to keep me distracted. Today he offered to give me drawing lessons."_

" _Did you accept?"_

" _I never said 'yes', but I didn't say 'no' either."_ Not that he intended to do that, but Malcolm had announced that lunch was ready just after Alex made his offer, and they didn't speak of it again.

" _I think you should do it. Worrying so much isn't good for you…"_

" _But I can't think about anything else!"_ Ash exploded. " _I feel sick constantly! It's been two days since I've gotten a good night sleep! The nightmares won't stop! I can barely eat! I just can't…"_

"Ash!" Caesar barked.

The speckled chimp paused in the middle of his rambling. A deep sense of shame washed over him, and he bowed his head.

" _I'm sorry,"_ Ash signed, and held out a supplicating palm. " _Please forgive me. I didn't mean to snap at you."_

Caesar didn't swipe his hand. Instead, Ash felt the king's rough fingers beneath his chin. They lifted his head until he looked the older ape in the eyes again.

" _I understand,"_ Caesar signed with his free hand. "You've been through a lot, and _worrying about a mate on top of that is a hard feeling to bear."_

Ash just blinked, but didn't respond. He almost felt guilty, since he wasn't the only one with a significant other out there. Caesar had his wife of many years to worry about, along with his new baby, yet he managed to keep his composure…

But the king wasn't done signing.

" _But Blue Eyes is intelligent, Ash. You and I both know this. He'll be careful, and he'll come back to us."_

Ash perked up a little. " _Are you sure?"_

Caesar nodded. " _Of course, Ash."_ Then he chuckled, and looked towards the stars. " _Do you remember what happened after you two nearly set Rocket's hut aflame?"_

" _You and my father wouldn't let us out of your sight for a month. Or be near fire,"_ Ash deadpanned.

Caesar laughed. " _Before that."_

Ash's forehead crinkled in confusion, but finally took a wild guess. " _It took you a long time to find us?"_

" _Exactly,"_ Caesar signed. " _Even with everyone in the village looking for you, no one thought to search the surrounding huts."_

Ash gave a little chuckle as he remembered that time. He and Blue Eyes were three years old and playing with fire in his father's home while the burly chimpanzee was out on a hunt. They didn't think holding sticks in the fire pit and twirling them in the air was a big deal, naturally. Their parents were just being overprotective with their constant warnings about fire. And watching the temporary line in the air created by the light, almost like fireflies putting on their own show in the darkened hut, was cool to them.

At least until a recently lit stick flew out of Blue Eyes' hand and collided with the wall. They both froze, but that was enough time for the wood to start smoking. Panicked, the two fled immediately and ran to Koba's hut for help, which happened to be closest out of all their relatives. But he was gone on a hunt, too, along with Rocket and Caesar.

They feared the scolding that was sure to follow, so they buried underneath the pelts on Koba's nest and hid there, even when panicked calls sounded out along with other apes rushing in with baskets of water to fight the fire. There wasn't much damage, but once Rocket and Caesar were notified, they became worried sick about a fire in the former's house and their sons nowhere to be seen.

Apes started looking for them soon after, but it wasn't until Koba returned to his hut hours later that they were discovered. The astonished look on his former uncle's usually composed, ebony face after he lifted the pelts and discovered the two hideaways was something Ash would likely never forget, and he felt his spirits lifting as he thought of it.

" _We were lucky,"_ Ash finally signed to Caesar. " _Not skilled. Or cunning. Just lucky."_

" _Maybe,"_ Caesar signed back. " _But you two have gotten a lot more cunning and skilled since then. I'm sure it will serve Blue Eyes well now."_

Ash let out a sigh. He knew Caesar was right. His mate was intelligent, resourceful, and most importantly, cautious. Not to mention that the ape he'd once been a few days ago was gone, the cocky, overly ambitious one. Ash could tell, and he knew that this matured Blue Eyes wasn't going to do something stupid.

" _Thank you, Caesar,"_ he signed. " _I feel a little better."_

Caesar nodded happily. " _You're welcome-"_ he winked at Ash. " _-Son."_

The speckled chimp's eyes widened, but he smiled and reached his arms out for a hug. Caesar accepted, and ruffled his head affectionately when they pulled away.

" _Does this mean I can call you 'father' now?"_ Ash asked him.

" _If you want to,"_ Caesar replied. " _I wouldn't mind."_

The speckled chimp nodded, and rose to his feet, intending to go back inside and give sleeping another try.

" _Do take my advice, though,"_ the king continued, just before Ash could turn away from him completely. " _Let Alex teach you about drawing. You need to get your mind off of Blue Eyes for a while."_

Ash nodded. " _I will-"_ He paused. " _-father."_

Caesar chuckled, and followed the younger ape inside.

…

Not much had changed since he and Ash left. For hours, he'd been watching the apes trying to cram more humans into an already overloaded cage, stuffed with both living and dead. But it smelled a lot worse now, since the older corpses had had a few days to rot in the sun…

Blue Eyes wrinkled his nose, and resolved to breathing out of his mouth instead.

At least it was quieter at night. The apes were usually shouting during the day, their savage calls mixing with humans screaming and crying. Even now, the prince could still hear some sobbing in the dark.

He swept the area with his eyes one last time, and made sure to pay close attention to where the guards were stationed, before climbing down from his perch and approaching the human cage. He'd only watched and observed so far, though he'd wanted to try and talk with Maurice and the others on the first night he arrived, but decided to listen to his more cautious instincts.

Even while on the move, he kept a close watch and clutched a stolen assault rifle to his chest, just in case things went badly. Luckily for him, most of the apes were barely paying attention, with a couple in particular nearly asleep on their feet. The young ape used it to his advantage, along with the cover of darkness, and snuck towards the backside of the human enclosure.

A handful glanced at him with a flash of fear in their eyes, and watched him warily as he began his search for the human he had in mind. Some whimpered and started crying again, perhaps fearing more punishment from him, though he did his best to make himself appear peaceful by throwing his rifle's strap around his shoulder and wearing the gun across his back.

Blue Eyes began to grow nervous as he kept looking, but saw no sign of the elderly man. Finally he looked into the eyes of an adolescent female who was closest to him, and hooted gently to calm her before whispering, "Where Dreyfus?"

The girl stared at him, but offered no response.

"Please," Blue Eyes tried again, voice strained with the effort of keeping it low. "Want to. Help you. Need your. Leader."

"Define help," she finally spoke, her too loud voice bitter with anger and resentment. "You mean you'll kill us quicker?"

"No," the prince retorted, and put his finger to his lips to try and keep her quiet. "No death. Freedom."

By now, other humans were starting to take notice of the conversation, and many more were trying to crowd around the girl to see him. This was bad. If the guards happened to look over and noticed that nearly half of the humans were focused on something, there was a good chance they'd come and investigate.

"Stop that," Blue Eyes hissed. "Cannot let. Guards see me."

"Well, well, well. Look who's back."

Blue Eyes perked up at the sound of the familiar tone, and felt himself relax as the target of his search appeared in his field of vision. The elder human glanced at some of the others, and gave a firm command to move away so he could talk to the prince without drawing any unwanted attention. Once the others began to ignore him again, Dreyfus crouched and faced him.

"I thought the others took care of you and your boyfriend already."

Blue Eyes cocked his head for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure what the term, 'boyfriend', meant exactly, but figured the older man had to be talking about Ash.

"My mate," the prince said. "Not friend. We escaped."

"I see," Dreyfus murmured, and shot the prince a pointed stare. "Not fun being hunted, is it?"

Blue Eyes grimaced and shook his head. It was terrifying, yet he himself was helping to put innocent humans through this just a few days prior. The thought had him reaching out a supplicating palm to the older man.

"Sorry," Blue Eyes whispered. "Was tricked. Thought. You killed. My father."

"Your father?" Dreyfus asked, and gave the prince's outstretched hand a confused look. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The prince pulled his palm back. "Caesar," he answered. "Our leader."

The human was clearly taken aback, but was quick to gather his thoughts and spit out in an accusatory tone, "And why would you think humans had anything to do with it?"

"My uncle, Koba," the prince explained. "He hate. Humans. So he shot. My father. Made it. Look like. Humans. Did it. Then he. Led us. To war." He let Dreyfus take in the new information for a moment before he came closer and looked straight into the human's eyes.

"I want. To stop. This. Make it. Right."

"And how do you suppose you're going to do that?" Dreyfus asked. "There are guards everywhere, and your gun won't be enough to bring them down."

"No," Blue Eyes said. "But help me. Save my. Family." He gestured over to the imprisoned apes. "And I get. You out. Of cage." He glanced at the humans behind the older man. "All of you."

Dreyfus took a moment to think about it, and turned towards the others. They might not have been facing the prince, but they heard every word spoken between him and their leader, and they hesitantly nodded. Dreyfus took this into account, before he turned back to Blue Eyes.

"You've got a deal. What do you want us to do?"

"Distract guards," the prince instructed, and pointed to where a handful stood on the top of the bus. "I talk. With my. Family. Tell them. Plan."

Dreyfus nodded. "Okay. Give us a couple minutes. When the guards leave, head over."

Blue Eyes smiled gratefully, and nodded once more before turning around and taking cover in the shadow of a nearby building. When he was clear, Dreyfus turned and started conversing with other nearby humans. Though the prince didn't know what was being said, he was able to see them nod along. A moment later, one approached the bars of the cage and banged on them, shouting at the top of his lungs while the others joined in.

They made quite a racket, enough so that every single guard on top of the bus jumped off and approached the loud humans, alongside any who were already on the ground. They shrieked and waved their guns to get them to stop, but the humans only made a bigger fuss. Blue Eyes took the opportunity to bolt to the cage, and made sure to stay within the shadows of the buildings until he could crossover. When he arrived at his destination, he stood on two feet and peered into the bus.

Every single inhabitant was wide awake, and Blue Eyes found multiple pairs of jaded eyes staring back at him. The prince tried to smile at them, but no one returned the gesture. He raised his hands to sign, but a quiet hoot caught his attention. He turned to see Maurice and Rocket beckoning him. Blue Eyes approached the elder orangutan and stuck his hands through the bars. Maurice brushed his palms over his knuckles, while Rocket laid a hand on his arm.

" _Is Ash okay?"_ Rocket immediately asked.

" _Yes. He's fine,"_ Blue Eyes signed, and gave the distressed father a small smile.

The blading chimpanzee sighed in relief before he tried to ask another question, but Blue Eyes interrupted him with a short grunt before he could.

" _Not much time,"_ he said, and shot Rocket an apologetic look. " _I need you to listen now. I have a plan to get everyone out of here."_

Both the older apes nodded, and quickly relayed the message to the other prisoners. They all watched him intently as Blue Eyes explained the plan, and made sure everyone knew what to do. Once finished, he gave one final once-over to everyone in the bus. Their gazes were hopeful again, something that the prince was glad to see, but he noticed there were less apes than the last time he'd been here.

" _Koba started executing us,"_ Maurice signed. He must've sensed Blue Eyes' confusion, and the hopeful gleam in his beady eyes was eclipsed by sorrow as he explained the situation. " _He began yesterday, and takes one of us to kill when the sun is highest in the sky."_

Blue Eyes felt an icy shiver travel up his spine, and couldn't control the raw shock plastered across his face. He'd observed the area for hours after he'd arrived, but would've been sleeping during the morning and afternoon so he could stay up all night...

He noticed the elder orangutan sent a short glance to his left, aimed right in the middle of the empty plaza. Another question from the prince, and Maurice confirmed that was the spot where the two previous victims, River and Milo, had died. They'd both been loyal supporters of Caesar ever since the king freed them from their zoo enclosure ten years ago, and had worked tirelessly to build and better the colony ever since.

And for all their effort throughout the years, they were rewarded with a bullet between the eyes.

The ingratitude Koba showed towards his own people, and he would keep executing more unless the prince acted fast.

" _I'm going to get you out of here,"_ Blue Eyes told Maurice, and swung his gaze to the others. " _All_ _of you."_

" _Not all of us,"_ Rocket signed sadly, head hung with remorse. " _We'll have to wait until tomorrow night to leave."_

The prince stiffened, but a panicked hoot to his right cut him off before he could raise his hands. It was Theodore, another ape Blue Eyes had known since childhood, and had helped teach the prince how to wield spears in preparation for the day he would have his first hunting rite.

" _Apes coming back!"_ He signed swiftly. " _You need to leave now!"_

Indeed, now that Theodore said something, he realized the humans had gone quiet and the approaching hoots were not from his imprisoned allies. Without thinking, he spun around and sprinted from the bus, making a beeline for the dark alleyways between the dilapidated buildings. He glanced back once, and saw the guards climbing back to their posts right before he turned a corner and disappeared into the night.

The prince got away without any warning calls going out, but he refused to slow down until he was well away from the area.

Blue Eyes was panting like a dog when he finally stopped, his frightened heart racing while adrenaline soared through his veins. He leaned against a nearby wall to gather his thoughts and settle down, a guilty feeling washing over him as he processed the fact that he would save most of his family members, but sentence one to an undeserved end.

The young ape thought about the last couple of days, and all he'd learned from watching the apes. Perhaps he could think of a way to free them earlier than tomorrow night, and no one else would have to die.

He attempted to think of something for a minute of two, but eventually slumped to the ground in defeat. It was impossible to do anything before darkness fell, as there would be too many apes around. Only desperation was making him try.

The prince swallowed heavily, but forced himself to get up and return to where he'd been staying whenever he wasn't scouting.

Blue Eyes' hidden camp was well away from Maurice and the others, and though he hated having to walk so far, he felt that sacrificing some convenience was necessary to ensure as much safety for himself as possible. Like he'd done every time, he scanned the area inside and out to make sure he was alone. Once he was confident enough, Blue Eyes finally entered the bedroom and climbed onto the messy nest. He laid the gun close to his body, and settled into a face-up position after he was comfortable.

He stared at the ceiling and tried to relax, though he was sick with worry and paranoia. Most of his thoughts were consumed by such things every since he'd left his father and Ash behind, and was already feeling the burden of sleep deprivation after two days of odd sleeping hours and short cat naps in order to get by. Even after covering the windows with human fabric so he wasn't disturbed during the day, his mind and body continued to fight against being so inactive when the sun was out.

His eyes finally closed, though fear kept turning his stomach until he felt almost ill. He remained still for a time, but began tossing and turning after restlessness took over. Eventually he reached for a pillow and squashed it against his body, head buried in its softness as he tried to slow his racing heart.

In that moment, by coincidence or a stroke of luck, he remembered how he'd been in a similar position with Ash a few days ago, when the speckled chimp was comforting him after their battle with the humans. It seemed like a lifetime ago as so much had gone on since then, though the prince felt a twinge of a smile on his lips at the thought of his beloved mate.

Then he remembered the grey ape's advice, the one he'd given Blue Eyes on the last night they'd slept together.

" _You worry too much. Just think about us, and our future together,"_ Ash had told him. And it worked, much to Blue Eyes' surprise. Perhaps it would help him now.

So he gave it a shot, and let his mind ponder a life with Ash after they were married. This time, he imagined them in their shared hut late at night, about to retire after a long day.

Soon he could feel Ash's lips on his, and his silky fur beneath his rough palms with that thick, forest-smoke scent heavy in his nose as the two made the most of their time together. Ash's legs wrapped around and gripped his hips tightly, while his hands explored the thick muscles on Blue Eyes' broad back. The prince groaned into the speckled chimp's mouth and parted his lips, allowing their tongues to finally meet. Ash stroked his hungrily, and let out a muffled growl before breaking the kiss and flipping them over. The prince grunted in surprise when he backside hit the nest beneath them, but moaned with pleasure when his mate's lips touched his once more.

Blue Eyes smiled, and let out a peaceful sigh as he continued fantasizing, his previously tense muscles starting to relax as he started to drift away.

And when sweet darkness finally took him, the prince welcomed it with open arms.

...

The next night, Blue Eyes crouched behind the bus, gaze focused and intensely watching the guards dealing with the shouting humans. Cries of, "Let us out of here!" rang through the night, until the guards grew tired of it and fired their guns into the air. The humans quieted after that, and crouched on the ground. All was silent again.

Blue Eyes felt the time was right, and nodded to Maurice.

The elder orangutan nodded back, and turned to pass the signal to the others. Seconds later, many of the imprisoned apes broke their chains and swung their fists at the barred windows, shattering glass and screaming loudly to get the guard's attention. Most of Koba's henchapes, who were already trying to quiet the humans down-another part of Blue Eyes' plan, as he had given the humans instructions to cause another diversion before sneaking over to the bus-turned towards the new noise and went over.

Unfortunately, many got too close, and were forcibly pulled against the bus by the vehicle's angry inhabitants.

Blue Eyes sent one last sign to his former teacher. With that, Maurice ripped out of his own chains to grab the last guard before turning and letting out a grizzly like roar. Every ape that wasn't trapping a guard against the bus started to rock the vehicle, causing it to teeter from side to side until it finally fell and crushed every single guard beneath its weight.

Silence reigned again, and the humans cautiously crept to the opening of their cage.

The young prince grinned with delight, and gestured for the humans to start running before scaling the bus and ripping away the rotted emergency side exit. By now, the commotion alerted the one ape Koba had stationed on the nearby concrete bridge overlooking them all. Shots were fired, but Blue Eyes was able to keep him occupied with his own bullets while helping his friends and family out of the bus.

Once everyone was out, Blue Eyes fired at the guard one last time before jumping down and following the others. There were still humans that hadn't exited their cage yet, but by the time the disorganized apes would be able to take action, most would be long gone and safe. At least, Blue Eyes hoped so. But he'd done all he could; the humans were free now and would have to figure the rest out on their own.

All but one, who appeared beside the prince and stayed near, even as Blue Eyes took the lead and guided the others towards his father. They moved quickly, and the fact the the old man could keep pace with them as they dodged between buildings and shadowed alleyways was astonishing to the prince. He was quite athletic for his age.

When Blue Eyes was no longer able to hear the rallying war cries of the apes behind them, he slowed the others down, but still kept a brisk pace as they headed towards their destination. He looked behind him and scanned his follower's faces, trying to determine who was no longer among them. Though he would rather not focus on that, he had to figure out which ape he didn't save; he just couldn't make himself turn away.

Maurice suddenly let out a throaty hoot, and smiled at the prince when he met his beady, green eyes.

" _Koba was busy today,"_ he told Blue Eyes. " _Apes caught some humans trying to escape the city. But they were armed, and it took hours before the fight was over."_

Blue Eyes was taken aback. " _So he didn't kill any of you?"_

Maurice shook his head. " _Luck was on our side, Blue Eyes."_

The prince sighed with relief, and let a huge grin overtake his face. They were lucky indeed, and he would be forever grateful for that.

He nodded to the older ape, and turned away to study the area in front of him. Thankfully, he recognized it.

They were close now.

A sudden tap on his shoulder caught his attention, and turned to find Dreyfus staring down at him.

"I just wanted to thank you. For everything," the human said. "I was wrong about you guys."

Blue Eyes smiled and nodded back, though he didn't try to speak. After learning the good news, and with all the running they'd done before that, the prince doubted any words from him would be understandable.

Luckily Dreyfus didn't seem to mind, and faced forward again. "Hopefully Malcolm and me can fix this," he muttered.

He wasn't talking to the prince anymore, but Blue Eyes heard him anyway. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he felt quite proud of himself for getting the elder man to come along with them. It wasn't easy, as Dreyfus understandably wanted to help his people, but mentioning Malcolm's name had been enough to sway him. It seemed as if the two were a team, and could do more together as opposed to running off with the other humans by himself.

They were panicked after all; Dreyfus would need all the help he could get.

As the older man became lost in his own thoughts, another hoot sounded from behind, and he turned to find Rocket approaching his side. The prince smiled at his uncle, to which the other ape nodded but didn't return the gesture. He looked like he wanted to discuss something serious.

" _Is what Koba said about you and my son true?"_ He asked.

Blue Eyes blinked and nearly halted in his tracks. So many things had happened after he and Ash left the apes, and he'd completely forgotten about Koba revealing their relationship to the other apes. But he supposed he should've anticipated this regardless, and be grateful that Rocket was so calm about it.

" _Yes,"_ the prince admitted, and tried his best to keep eye contact with the blading chimpanzee.

Rocket stiffened slightly, and his nostrils exhaled a heavy breath. " _Does Caesar know about this?"_

Blue Eyes nodded.

" _When this is over,"_ Rocket started, after another exhale, " _I want to have a talk with both of you."_ The prince could tell he was angry, but was holding himself back for now.

" _Of course,"_ Blue Eyes signed placidly. " _But there's something you need to know; something that Koba didn't mention before."_

" _And what is that?"_ Rocket asked.

" _That we do those things because we love each other."_

In all the years Blue Eyes had known Rocket, he rarely showed much emotion, and generally possessed a static and stony exterior. But when he finished the last sign, his uncle's usually guarded eyes went wide with shock.

" _What!?"_ He exclaimed. " _When did that happen!?"_

" _A long time ago,"_ the prince told him. He wanted give Rocket a better explanation, but he'd spotted the house where Ash and the others were staying. They would have to have this conversation another time. " _Ash and I will tell you more later, after this fight is over."_

Rocket seemed extremely dissatisfied, but nodded regardless. Just when Blue Eyes was starting to turn away from him, the older ape nudged him again.

" _Okay. I'll trust you,"_ he started. Then, to the prince's surprise, he let go of his anger and smiled at him. " _But, for now, know that I'm proud of you for what you did."_ He gestured towards the others behind them, and they all nodded at the younger ape when he looked at them.

" _We all are,"_ Rocket continued. " _You're a hero, Blue Eyes. Just like your father."_

The prince smiled gratefully, and a warm feeling washed over him at the sudden praise.

" _You're my hero, Blue Eyes,"_ Ash had told him a few days ago. For the first time, now that he had his friends and family trailing behind him, the prince felt like he could accept that title.

Rocket ended by patting him affectionately. Blue Eyes' smile grew wider, and he gave one last nod. Then he trotted further in front of the group and pointed out their destination before letting out a mildly loud call. Maurice and Rocket did the same, and Blue Eyes noticed pale faces appearing at the window before they vanished.

They waited, and Caesar came out to greet them shortly after. His father approached him first, proud grin brighter than the sun as he pulled the prince in for a short embrace. Blue Eyes returned it, but soon let Ceaser go so he could greet the others.

A flash of grey in the corner of his eye was all the warning he got before Ash threw his arms around him like a python, and squeezed their bodies painfully close together. Blue Eyes didn't mind though, and hugged his mate with the same intensity. The speckled chimp originally buried his head in Blue Eyes' shoulder, but soon lifted it and pulled the prince in for a kiss. Blue Eyes held him close for a few blissful seconds, and relished in the sensation until they broke apart. Their foreheads met immediately, panting against each other slightly as they stood there. Throughout it all, neither had let the other go.

It was then that Blue Eyes' noticed Ash's glassy eyes, and felt his own start to fill up. But these were happy tears, and Ash placed both hands on Blue Eyes' face to keep him there.

"I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you too, Ash."

His mate's lip trembled before he hugged the prince again, his face buried in his throat this time. Blue Eyes held him tightly, and let his head rest on the top of Ash's skull.

He glanced up after a few seconds, and noticed the other apes watching them closely. He flushed a little, but decided to pay little attention to it. They'd been apart during a scary time; they deserved this.

But, looking at the other apes and finding Rocket's eyes in the crowd, the prince was reminded of something important.

"Ash," he whispered, and tried to put a little distance between them. His mate resisted at first, but complied after Blue Eyes kept trying. "I have. Something. For you."

Ash look disappointed at first, but was surprised at the prince's words. "What?" He asked.

Blue Eyes gestured behind him.

The speckled chimp turned around, and finally noticed the other apes. He looked a little embarrassed for a second, but snapped out of it when he noticed his father standing among them. He nearly shrieked as he ran towards Rocket, and the older ape happily took his son into his arms.

Blue Eyes smiled at the scene, and noticed his own father watching him. Caesar nodded towards him, and held out an arm. Blue Eyes headed over, followed closely by Malcolm and Ellie, who had come out of the house as well. A few seconds later, Rocket released Ash, and two turned towards the king.

It was time to finish this.


	14. The Aftermath: Out in the Open

Blue Eyes gave an inaudible sigh and straightened his slightly bent back, all while trying to adjust his position to take pressure off his already sore backside. He had to resist the urge to lean his forearms on his knees, and tried his best to focus on the meeting at hand. That in itself was difficult, though, since he'd gone the last day without a wink of sleep and his body was still weary from all the fighting.

"Apes were betrayed. By one of our own," his father was saying to Dreyfus and his advisors, while Rocket and Maurice looked on. Thankfully, it was rather loud in the otherwise silent room, and helped the young prince to stay awake.

"He wanted war. I did not. Then he. Shot me. So he could. Blame humans. And lead apes. To battle."

Right now, they were discussing how to explain to the rest of the human population what had happened during the last few days, and made sure they knew the apes were tricked into this by Koba. Thankfully, Dreyfus' advisors, after much convincing by Malcolm, Ellie, and the human leader himself, were willing to listen to Caesar, consider forgiveness, and discuss an arrangement of peace between humans and apes.

Blue Eyes was a little surprised at how easily convinced the humans were, though he supposed they would take the word of their leader very seriously, just as the apes took to Caesar's.

And, after all, it was an ape who worked with humans in order to set them free, he mused. That probably had something to do with it, too.

So lost in his own thoughts, he nearly jumped when a warm palm laid itself on his thigh.

He let his eyes wander to the side, only to see Ash, who sat beside him, staring straight ahead and following along with the discussion between the ape council and the human leaders. His mate never tore his focus away, but he gave the prince's leg a squeeze before he reclaimed his hand.

 _Concentrate,_ the gesture said. _We'll be done soon enough._

Blue Eyes' lips twitched pleasantly, and he returned his attention to where it was supposed to be.

 _I hope so,_ he thought. _We've been talking for a long time._

Shortly after the prince and the rescued apes reunited with Caesar outside the king's old home, they all left to face Koba. Malcolm and Dreyfus originally wanted to accompany them as well, but were easily persuaded to turn back by Caesar after leading them to the underground tunnels. They wouldn't be able to climb up Koba's tower, after all, and it would be too dangerous to leave them in a nearby building; even if some apes stayed with them during the battle.

And what a battle it was.

The young prince couldn't remember a time when he was so uneasy, his entire body tense and thrumming with anxious energy; which resulted in him crying out with panicked hoots after watching his father being savagely beaten. And even though Ash, who stayed with him the entire time, did his best to calm him down, the speckled chimp's soothing gestures had little effect. Not that the prince could do much about it, since this was his father's battle to fight, and his alone.

That didn't mean Blue Eyes had to like it, though.

After watching Caesar struggle to climb the human tower, he knew his father was in a weakened state, which would prove to be a disadvantage in battle. When they finally reached the top, he wondered if the older ape would even have the energy to fight at all.

Thankfully, he'd underestimated just how powerful his father actually was. That, and Koba was a little drunk, which was how Caesar described his former brother afterwards. Apparently, the old bonobo had gotten into human alcohol -another new word he'd learned from his father- before Caesar arrived, and wasn't in his prime condition, either.

Still, it was close. But Caesar fought well, and used Koba's wounded side and explosive temper to his advantage, lashing out with harsh words so the bonobo would react and expose his weakened spots. For a minute or so, the battle was going his father's way.

Until the bonobo happened to look into the crowd of apes after reeling from a particularly nasty strike from Caesar, and noticed himself and Ash standing among the crowd, with all of the king's supporters around them.

Blue Eyes immediately pulled his lips back into a snarl as soon as his eyes met Koba's, though his former uncle just sneered at him before he turned back to his father again.

"When I am. Done with you!" he shouted at Caesar, and pointed straight at Blue Eyes. "Your son. Will suffer!"

The prince felt an icy shiver trip up his spine, but Caesar let out an angry roar and charged. Whatever Koba was planning to do next, his father reached him first, and they went rolling in a ball of writhing bodies, pounding fists, and screeching cries. They both were taking a lot of damage now, and it wasn't clear who was winning anymore.

Until Caesar threw Koba off him, sending the bonobo flying towards the middle of the structure they were fighting on, and falling through the empty space within it.

But it wasn't over yet, as the bonobo managed to save himself by grabbing onto a piece of thick metal that stuck out from the walls surrounding the drop. He tried to pull himself up, with great difficulty, Blue Eyes observed. He must've taken too much damage from his angry father's fists.

That didn't stop him from trying, though.

Caesar approached the edge soon after, and looked down as his former commander worked his way up. He just watched as Koba continued the climb, and did nothing until the bonobo finally stopped. Now, if Caesar bent down, he would be able to grab Koba.

The bonobo uttered something to the king, though Blue Eyes and the others hadn't been able to hear it. Only Caesar did, and to everyone's surprise, he actually leaned over and grasped Koba's forearm.

The prince felt his heart skip a beat, right before it began a furious rhythm as he watched his father lifting the bonobo out of the pit.

What was Caesar doing?

But then he stopped, and his eyes rose to meet those closest to him. In the end, his gaze stopped on his son, who looked back at the king with desperate eyes.

 _Father, please,_ ran through the young prince's mind.

Before he could finish that thought, Caesar broke eye contact and looked down at Koba again.

"You. Are. Not ape," he spoke, loud enough for Blue Eyes to hear.

Then he dropped Koba.

The bonobo released one last cry of rage as he fell, and shot towards the bottom of the pit like a stone sinking in the river. His body disappeared from view in the time it took for Blue Eyes to blink, and the echo of his waning voice died a moment later. The young prince was concentrating hard, and though he knew it wasn't likely, he swore he could hear his former uncle's body hitting the ground.

Thick, buzzing silence reigned after that, heavy and all consuming as the events of the past couple minutes sunk in.

Then the first cry went out, causing Blue Eyes' head to shoot up at the sound.

Another followed after, then more, until every ape had joined in, showing their acceptance of Caesar as king again.

The prince smiled when he realized this, and joined in immediately after. He'd never felt more proud to be Caesar's son, or more relieved to look upon his father in his life.

A loud creak sounded out in the room, and it brought him back to the present.

It came from Dreyfus, as the older human had moved his chair back and stood up. Caesar stood, too, and reached out to shake Dreyfus' hand when the human offered it.

The terms had been struck, and an agreement was made. Though he'd been paying little attention, he managed to grasp that both species were to make the necessary efforts to keep peace between each other, largely by leaving one another alone. Right now, though, as a show of good faith, some of the apes would help the humans rebuild their home after the attack.

Blue Eyes felt a small smile on his lips, and he kept it there as he, along with everyone else, rose to their feet and headed for the exit.

Just outside waited his mother and brother, and Blue Eyes gave her a quick hug before she went to Caesar. The king smiled as his wife approached him, and he embraced her warmly before laying a hand on a sleeping Cornelius' head.

Speaking of Cornelia and Cornelius...

It was a good thing Blue Eyes acted when he did; because it turned out Koba had sent for the females and young still in the forest. If the prince had waited, his mother, infant brother, and the other females and younglings would've been brought into the middle of a massive fight.

The thought of Cornelia in the middle of that battle had the prince shivering with discomfort again, until an arm slipped around his waist and pulled him against something warm and furry.

He knew who it was before his mind could even process what happened, and turned to smile at his mate before hooting in greeting. Ash did the same, and guided Blue Eyes to turn and walk along with him as they followed the others out of the building. The prince cooperated, but captured Ash's hand in his when the other dropped his arm. The speckled chimp smiled, and gave the prince a gentle squeeze. Then he parted his lips to say something, but noticed Alex heading towards them before he could.

"So, how long do you guys think you were in there?" the human asked Ash and Blue Eyes as he approached them. Just like the prince's mother and brother, Alex had been waiting outside while Ellie and his father took part in the discussion. It hadn't been easy to convince the teenage male to do so, but Malcolm and Ellie managed.

"Hour or two," Ash responded, and moved closer to his mate so Alex could walk alongside them.

"Felt like days," Blue Eyes added.

"I won't argue with that," Alex said, and took his place at Ash's side. "But it was necessary. Hopefully there'll be peace between us now."

"Hopefully," the two lovers agreed, and nodded simultaneously.

"What are you going to do now?" Alex asked.

"Go back. To forest. Find new home. Rebuild," Blue Eyes said.

Alex nodded, then solemnly asked, "Do you think we'll see each other again?"

"I hope so," Ash responded. "Would like. That."

Alex gave the two an ecstatic smile, though that didn't surprise the prince. He knew a strong friendship was building between him and Ash, and the young human seemed relieved that there was a chance for a future meeting.

"Should I. Be worried?" Blue Eyes teased, and grinned when Alex switched from happy to embarrassed and defensive in under a second.

"No," Ash interjected, before the human could start babbling. "Alex friend. Good friend. Nothing more."

"A cute. Friend," the prince pointed out with a teasing tone, which caused Alex's pale skin to flush a royal red.

"Maybe," Ash said as he shrugged, and shot his mate a warm gaze. "But Blue Eyes. Beautiful."

The prince grinned, and gave the speckled chimp a quick peck on the lips. He glanced at Alex afterwards, but noticed the human had averted his gaze.

"Sorry," Blue Eyes said. "Just joke. Not serious."

To his relief, Alex looked back at him and nodded with a light smile. "I know. You just surprised me is all."

Blue Eyes returned the gesture, then continued the conversation. "What you. And Ash do. When I. Was gone?"

"I taught him how to draw, and he showed me some signs," Alex answered while he reached for his bag. "Do you want to see them?"

The prince nodded, and pulled his hand out of Ash's to reach for Alex's sketchbook after the human pulled it out of his bag and opened it to the drawings Ash had done. The speckled chimp grunted, seemingly a little nervous about the prince seeing his drawings, but soon waved his hand in a 'go ahead' gesture.

Looking through the sketches of trees from the forest, the river where he and Ash had gone fishing for years, and even an unfinished one of a scarred, crowned ape sitting on a throne (who he was partially convinced was him), Blue Eyes couldn't help but think his mate had done a pretty good job. And the fact that he was only a beginner served to impress the prince more.

"They are. Good," Blue Eyes said, and shot Ash a proud grin. "I like them."

"Really?" The speckled chimp asked, to which the prince nodded. Ash finally smiled at the compliment and glanced down at the sketch Blue Eyes was currently looking at, the one of the ape wearing a crown made of twigs and pretty stones.

"Tried to. Draw you," Ash admitted. "Was a gift. For when. You came back. But did not. Finish it."

The prince stopped in his tracks. Ash halted too, and jumped a little when Blue Eyes pulled him into his arms.

"Can do that. When done," Blue Eyes told him, and nuzzled his cheek while he pulled away. "Want to. See it."

Ash smiled and opened his mouth to respond, but an attention-getting hoot from Rocket interrupted him. The three had fallen well behind the others, and the blading chimpanzee gave them all a look before beckoning his son and Blue Eyes forward. They needed all the apes together right now, as they were going to assign some to help the humans, and the rest to go back to the forest and start rebuilding their own home.

Both the young apes smiled apologetically. Blue Eyes gave Alex his sketchbook back, and the two sped up to rejoin the others with their human friend close behind them. Once there, Alex said goodbye and went to walk beside Malcolm and Ellie while Ash and Blue Eyes joined their respective families.

Apes and humans had a lot of work to do, and the sooner they all got started, the better.

...

In the end, Blue Eyes and Ash were both assigned to go back to the forest and help the scouts search for a good place to rebuild the colony. A couple days later, their group came across a vast network of caves, large enough to house their entire population. Not everyone was particularly happy to live in the caves, but no one could argue that it made the process of rebuilding a lot easier, since they didn't have to worry about building individual huts for each family.

The royal family in particular ended up with a large, spacious area within the cave, shielded on three sides by stone walls and the fourth by a massive waterfall. Originally Cornelius, who was now two weeks old, made a huge fuss. He didn't like all the noise, and the roar of the falls was frightening to the young ape. But, just like his parents and older brother, he adapted, and soon falling asleep inside the noisy cave was just another part of his daily life.

Aside from pestering Blue Eyes, that is; especially when their parents briefly left them alone together. Very quickly, the prince had learned to keep anything he valued out of his little brother's fingers, especially that drawing Ash had recently given him. Blue Eyes treasured it greatly, and stored it beneath furry pelts on his side of the family nest, though Cornelius was still too young to understand why it was so important.

You couldn't tell by looking at him, but the little ape was a troublemaker disguised as an angel.

During the last few days, the apes had been consumed with the task of rebuilding their home, especially since half of them were still stationed in the human colony. They'd gotten far, though, and a decent portion of the caves had been converted into stable homes for families. That being said, they still had loads of work to do, but from what Caesar had told Blue Eyes after he returned from checking on the apes assisting the humans, they would be coming home in another couple of weeks to aid them.

But, while talking with his father, Blue Eyes felt like there was something else on the older ape's mind; something he wasn't telling the prince. When Blue Eyes tried to question him, Caesar denied that there was anything else. But the way he refused to meet his son's eyes told a different story than he would have Blue Eyes believe.

And, later that night, just when the prince was starting to drift off, he sensed movement from beside him. When he lifted his head, he discovered Caesar and Cornelia had left the nest, and brought Cornelius with them.

That was definitely suspicious, so Blue Eyes rose to his feet and stealthily followed his parents. They never even glanced behind them, and the young prince was easily able to trail them to a vacant part of the cave, one that hadn't been turned into a dwelling yet.

Then, when Blue Eyes glanced around the corner, he saw Maurice, Rocket, Luca, and Tinker sitting around a small fire, waiting for the king and queen to take their seats.

" _How is everyone?"_ Caesar signed first, to which everyone answered positively.

" _I'm sorry to call you here in the middle of the night, but we need to decide how to handle this-"_

A sudden tap on his shoulder startled Blue Eyes, and he had to bite his tongue in order to keep quiet. He turned around, and was met with familiar leafy orbs, bright and lively despite the murky darkness.

" _Ash?"_ He signed. " _What are doing here?"_

" _What are you doing here?"_ His mate shot back.

" _I asked you first."_

Ash raised a hairless brow. " _My parents woke me up,"_ he finally signed. " _And I lost them in the caves."_ He stopped momentarily, then glanced behind Blue Eyes. " _But now I've found them."_

" _Mine woke me up, too,"_ the prince admitted. " _I followed them here."_

" _What are they doing? And why are Maurice and Luca here?"_

" _They're talking about something important,"_ Blue Eyes answered, and moved over so Ash could crouch beside him and watch the meeting at hand.

" _Everything's been fine so far,"_ Tinker was saying. " _We've watched him closely, and so far Ash has followed the rules. He hasn't tried to sneak away."_

" _And Blue Eyes has done the same,"_ Cornelia added, though the two had to lean over in order to see her signs from behind her back. " _They haven't had the chance to be alone together."_

Ash and Blue Eyes shared a look, both looking a little surprised. Their parents were talking about them, so they must be discussing their relationship.

So far, Caesar was the only one who'd given his support for them. Even Rocket, who was the second ape to know about their love for eachother, hadn't shown any signs of either acceptance or rejection. Cornelia and Tinker hadn't, either, as they all were heavily consumed with rebuilding the colony and had time for little else. As such, they only told the two that they weren't allowed to be alone together, and tonight was the first time that had happened since the rule was set.

They hadn't had problems from the other apes, either, as all were busy with their own duties. And with Caesar as their king and Rocket as his second once again, no one had dared say or do anything to Ash and Blue Eyes. Though some had avoided both apes unless they absolutely had to be around them.

But they wouldn't be busy forever, so their parents must've decided tonight would be when they made their final judgements, and how to proceed from there on out.

" _That's good,"_ Rocket continued. " _After the boys told us how long they were hiding it, I was worried they would try something."_

" _They know what they've done wrong, and why they're being punished,"_ Caesar said. " _They don't want to make things worse. They just want to be together."_

" _We all know Caesar has given his blessing already,"_ Cornelia jumped in again. " _I will support them, too. What about the rest of you?"_

" _As will I,"_ Tinker signed, while Maurice gave an affirmative hoot from across the room.

" _Rocket? Luca?"_ Caesar inquired. " _What do you think?"_

Blue Eyes and Ash directed their attention to the two apes in question, and the prince began to grow worried when neither responded. He'd been smiling before, as one by one, their family members signed their support. But now, with Rocket and Luca's hesitation, he felt like the air was being sucked out of the room.

" _I don't know what to think,"_ Rocket finally admitted, while Luca nodded beside him. " _I know they're in love, I just don't understand how this happened."_

" _They already explained how it happened,"_ his wife gently reminded him.

" _It's not that. It's…I just..."_

" _I think what Rocket is trying to say,"_ Luca signed, after it was clear the burly chimp couldn't think of the right words. " _Is how can a male have romantic feelings towards another male? Up until now, we understood that romance happens between a male and female. This sudden change is just confusing for us."_

The others looked to Rocket, and he nodded in agreement with Luca.

" _Exactly. And I'm not saying I'm going to forbid this,"_ he signed, which was when Blue Eyes heard Ash let out a relieved breath. " _I just want to understand it."_

" _I see where you're coming from,"_ Maurice chimed in. " _But even if we don't understand how or why they feel this way, we know they_ _do_ _feel it. And, besides,"_ he added as an afterthought. " _They aren't hurting anyone."_

" _But they will never have children of their own,"_ Rocket pointed out. " _I worry they will regret their decisions someday."_

" _That may be true, but I still feel that should be up to them, not us,"_ Cornelia signed. " _They are not children anymore; they are adolescents now, and will be adults in a few years time. As parents, we need to balance between advising them and letting them go. We cannot make their life choices for them, even if we personally feel it is the wrong decision."_

" _And they are mature, as we've all seen,"_ Caesar said. " _They likely have thought about that already."_

Blue Eyes and Ash looked at each other. Caesar was right; they'd discussed that fact a long time ago, back when their romance was still young, and choose to be together anyway. Even now, after all this time had passed, neither had changed their minds.

" _And, even if they are the first to be known here,"_ Tinker chimed in. " _They are not the first to have this kind of relationship. Before Caesar rescued us, bonobos had relationships like that."_

" _How do you know?"_ Luca asked curiously.

" _Female talk,"_ Tinker explained. " _This came up a long time ago, but some female bonobos were talking about it while our group was foraging."_

Blue Eyes shot the speckled chimp a questioning look, but Ash just shrugged. He looked just as surprised as the prince did.

But, while he was focused on his mate, Blue Eyes barely missed Maurice signing something out of the corner of his eye. He tried to turn around to see, but missed it entirely. Whatever he said, it caused the king and queen to stiffen slightly and glance at each other. They didn't say anything, though, and continued the conversation after an awkward moment.

" _I've heard that, too,"_ Cornelia finally signed. " _But there aren't many bonobos here who were alive before apes became intelligent. They don't talk about it anymore, and none of them married partners of the same gender."_

" _But even if they were the first of all apes to choose this path,"_ Maurice interjected. " _That doesn't change anything. They should be allowed to get married."_

" _You're right,"_ Rocket signed. " _If they want this, I will not stop them."_

Blue Eyes quickly glanced at Ash, only to see a warm, relieved smile on the other ape's face,

" _What about you Luca?"_ Tinker asked.

" _I have no problem with it, either,"_ he began. " _They deserve to be together, but I worry that other apes will not see this, and lash out at them. We all know how they reacted after Koba exposed them, after all."_

The reminder caused both Ash and Blue Eyes to grimace with painful remembrance.

" _If they do, they will face severe consequences,"_ Caesar stated firmly, which helped both to relax slightly. " _I will make sure everyone knows that."_

" _They may not like it,"_ Cornelia agreed, though was forced to continue in one-hand sign after Cornelius choose that moment to try and jump out of her arms. " _But they have no right to stop it. And besides, they would be miserable for the rest of their lives if we tore them apart."_

" _We will see what happens, but I don't think it will be a big issue,"_ Maurice said, and gestured around him with a shaggy, red arm, as if to enhance his point. " _Everyone knows about them now, but no one has done anything."_

" _And they won't get too affectionate in public,"_ the queen added with a light smile on her lips. " _Except for Maurice and Luca, we've all seen that they'll wait until they are in the privacy of one another's homes."_

" _So it's decided, then,"_ Caesar declared, after making eye contact with each ape and receiving a nod from all of them. " _They will not be alone together for now, but will be married when they come of age."_

When the two apes saw those signs, their faces lit up like children just before a festival. They brought their faces closer, and were about to kiss until they noticed the adults were standing up, with Luca and Maurice already heading for the exit. With that, both signed a hasty goodbye and retreated back to their respective nests.

When Blue Eyes reached his cave, he literally threw himself onto the pile of pelts, as they hadn't gotten around to constructing an actual nest yet, and slammed his eyes shut. Heart pounding in his throat, he laid there and listened, though it was difficult to hear anything with the roar of the waterfall ringing in his ears. Minutes passed without anything happening, which was why Blue Eyes startled when something small suddenly landed on his side.

The prince shot up immediately, more out of shock than anything, and discovered it was only his brother, who quickly rolled onto his back in Blue Eyes' lap and started playing with the elder ape's fingers.

A troublemaker in disguise indeed, Blue Eyes mused.

Once the tension passed, Blue Eyes chuckled and tickled his younger brother, which earned him breathy pant-laughs from Cornelius. He kept it up for a few seconds, but stopped before the baby ape ran out of breath. Cornelius cooed at him when Blue Eyes pulled his hands away, and reached for them again with a cute, open mouthed grin.

The elder prince relented, and continued playing with his brother until he felt the pelts shifting beside him.

He glanced over to see his father and mother settling down, both sporting affectionate smiles on their faces. The prince shot a similar look back, and handed Cornelius over to his mother once she had gotten comfortable.

" _You're supposed to be sleeping,"_ Caesar chastised in a playful manner.

" _Tell Cornelius that,"_ Blue Eyes argued, and gave the baby ape a half-hearted glare. " _If it wasn't for him, I would be sleeping."_

Caesar chuckled, and relaxed against the pelts on his elbows as he regarded his son.

" _Your mother and I just met with Rocket, Tinker, Luca, and Maurice,"_ he informed Blue Eyes, while the younger ape moved to lay on his side. " _We've decided something important."_

" _What is that?"_ the prince signed.

" _You should know, or were you not paying attention back there?"_

Blue Eyes went stiff, and his jaw dropped with shock.

" _I...I...How long did you know!?"_

" _You need to work on your stealth, Blue Eyes,"_ Cornelia signed as an answer from beside Caesar, right before she went back to trying to settle Cornelius down.

" _Both of you!?"_ The prince asked.

" _Yes. Maurice told us you and Ash were watching halfway through the discussion."_

Ahh. That explained what the old orangutan had signed earlier. " _So, you're not mad?"_

" _Not really,"_ Caesar admitted.

" _But why keep it a secret from me and Ash?"_ Blue Eyes asked. " _It is our relationship, Father."_

Caesar's smile dropped, and he began to look a little uncomfortable." _I know, son. We wanted to include you both, but we were worried about how the others would react."_

Blue Eyes skeptically raised a brow. " _You were worried about how Tinker and Maurice would react?"_

" _Not them,"_ the king clarified. " _Rocket and Luca, mostly. We didn't know if they would...Be so understanding."_

" _Even if they weren't, we still should've been there,"_ Blue Eyes argued. " _After all, it was Mother who said you needed to stop protecting us so much."_

Caesar stiffened a little at the reminder.

" _I suppose you're right, Blue Eyes,"_ he said. " _We're not the best at that yet, but you are our son, no matter what."_ Then he looked straight into the prince's eyes, a sad smile played across his lips. " _It's not easy to let go of you."_

" _I understand,"_ Blue Eyes signed after a short moment, without any malice or anger in his movements. " _But Ash and I will face judgement no matter what. If not with Rocket and Luca, then with other apes."_

" _I know,"_ Caesar replied. " _And I want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what."_

" _I know, Father. I know,"_ Blue Eyes said, just before Caesar reached out and pulled his son in for a hug.

The prince rested his head on the king's shoulder, and let out a contented sigh as Caesar's arms wrapped around his back and gripped him tightly. Blue Eyes did the same, and soaked up the warmth and comfort from his father for as long as he could.

"I love you, Blue Eyes," Caesar suddenly whispered into his ear.

The phrase surprised him at first, as he hadn't heard such a statement from his father in a long time. But the words went straight to his heart, regardless, and he found himself tightening his grip.

"I love you, too, Father," he whispered back.

They stayed there for a moment longer, but eventually released each other. The prince felt Caesar's hand on his shoulder, and the king patted him a couple times before he laid down on his back. Blue Eyes followed along, but quickly glanced at his mother before he allowed his head to hit the nest.

She was still awake and watching them, though Cornelius was fast asleep on her chest. She seemed quite happy, and the prince swore he saw a few tears in her eyes.

" _I love you, Blue Eyes,"_ she signed.

" _I love you, too, Mother,"_ the prince responded, and shot her a warm smile before he adjusted his head and closed his eyes.

Now fully content and at peace, with a warm nest beneath his weary body and his loved ones beside him, it was no time at all before Blue Eyes fell into deep sleep.

...

Well, most everything was peaceful.

Though he'd managed to find sleep that night, it didn't come near as easy anymore. He supposed exhaustion after a long day of working and his complete concentration on building their new home were the reasons why he didn't have any trouble the first few days.

He still slept some, though he hadn't managed to get a full night's sleep since that night with his family. The memories from Koba's short reign hadn't left him yet, and they haunted him at night. Especially those involving Oliver or Anthony…

Three days into his struggle, his mother and father were starting to shot him worried glances when they thought he wasn't looking, though they hadn't said anything to him yet. If it continued, they definitely would. But right now, the prince was a little more focused on someone other than himself. He wasn't the only one having trouble finding sleep, after all.

Ash had the same problem, though he looked worse than Blue Eyes by now. In fact, the prince was convinced that his mate was barely sleeping at all, whereas he at least managed to get a few hours in.

But if his nightmares were this bad, he couldn't imagine what Ash saw in his dreams at night.

He entertained such thoughts as he lay awake, yet again, staring up at the rocky ceiling of his abode while waiting for exhaustion to kick in. It would eventually, as it had the other nights. But right now, he was completely awake and far too anxious to go back to sleep.

Another night terror of their time with Anthony and Oliver had left him in this state, though in this dream, he hadn't been able to stop either of them from doing whatever they wanted to him and Ash…

Blue Eyes shivered at the thought, and curled into himself as he fought the phantom pain in his backside. He kept telling himself it wasn't real, and that Oliver never actually got that far with him, though it did little to help him now.

Finally, he grew sick of it and got out of the nest, done with sleeping for now. If he couldn't rest, maybe taking a little walk would help.

As he strolled down the stone corridors, watching the torches cast fire and shadows along the walls, he pondered over what he could do to stop this. Perhaps he should ask his father for a few private minutes together, so he could talk to him about this…

But then he rounded a corner, and noticed a lone silhouette of an ape sitting on the floor, just to the side of an entryway covered with deerskin. Before he could do anything, the ape turned his head and noticed the prince, just before a low gasp sounded from his shadowed form.

"Blue Eyes?" A familiar voice whispered.

"Ash?" The prince whispered back.

The silhouette nodded, just before he stood up and approached. Apparently, his mate's night vision was better than the prince's right now.

As he came closer, enough so that the firelight reflected off his dark skin, Blue Eyes could see the light smile on his speckled face, and he returned the gesture before leaning in for a kiss. Ash sighed softly against him, but ended it quickly and took a seat on the floor, just under the torch. Blue Eyes was quick to join him.

" _How long have you been awake?"_ The prince signed.

" _I never went to sleep,"_ Ash responded. " _I'm scared of what I'll see."_

Blue Eyes swallowed heavily, but didn't verbally respond. Instead he held an arm out for his mate, to which Ash easily accepted and moved closer, enough so that their sides were firmly pressed together.

" _Now I know why you were so worried after you had your nightmare about me,"_ he continued while laying his head on Blue Eyes' shoulder. " _It isn't easy to see those kinds of things."_

" _What do you see?"_ The prince finally asked.

" _Anthony and Oliver,"_ Ash said, which caused the other to grimace slightly. " _But the worst part is watching you being hurt."_

Blue Eyes suppressed the urge to shiver, and nuzzled his mate instead.

" _I know, Ash. It's the same for me, and it always feels so real…"_

He trailed off, but Ash didn't seem to mind as he relaxed further against the prince's body. Blue Eyes watched him for a moment, and observed how Ash was starting to blink furiously, like he was was trying to keep his eyes open.

He was exhausted, but too scared to sleep; yet it seemed like he felt a little better with the prince around. Blue Eyes certainly knew he felt much better with Ash beside him. Perhaps it could be a solution to both their problems...

" _Ash?"_ Blue Eyes suddenly signed. " _Do you want to try sleeping with me?"_

Ash's head perked up, both interested and uncertain.

" _Are you sure? Would our parents allow that?"_

Blue Eyes shrugged. " _They said we couldn't mate or be alone together, but they said nothing about sharing a nest."_

" _I don't know, and my parents will get scared if I'm not there when they wake up."_

The prince pondered this for a moment. " _I'm usually woken up early from the sunlight coming through the waterfall. Normally it's earlier than my parents, and Rocket or Tinker too, probably. I can wake you up. You'll have had a few hours of rest, and be back in your nest before your parents knew you were gone."_

Ash thought about it for a moment, but finally nodded. " _Okay."_

Blue Eyes gave him a warm smile, and stood up before offering a hand to his mate. The speckled chimp accepted, and let the prince pull him to his feet. Afterwards, Blue Eyes gently squeezed his palm, and lead him down the corridor towards his family's nest.

He glanced at Ash as they entered, and saw his mate looked a little nervous about this. Blue Eyes gave a soft, comforting hoot, and pecked Ash on the cheek as they approached the sleeping king, queen, and youngest prince.

He let go of Ash's hand and laid down first, talking a moment to situate himself before reaching out to his mate. The speckled chimp shot one last uncertain look at Caesar and Cornelia's sleeping forms, but crawled onto the nest and cuddled with Blue Eyes, anyway.

The prince nuzzled him affectionately as Ash made himself comfortable, head laying on Blue Eyes' chest while the speckled chimp threw an arm over his waist. Ash gave a warm sigh, and placed his mostly healed hand a few inches away from his dark-skinned brow, palm up with the stitched hole visible in the murky light. The prince looked at it for a moment, eyes narrowed in remembrance before he laid his own calloused hand over it. The second the skin on their palms made contact, their fingers interlocked while Ash's thumb brushed over the back of Blue Eyes' hand.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too," Blue Eyes whispered back, and gave Ash one last kiss on the top of his head before letting his own lay back against the nest.

He closed his eyes, and felt Ash nuzzle into his chest fur before he stilled, the only movement now coming from his light breathing. Feeling his mate there, his gentle warmth soaking into him deliciously, relaxed the prince immediately, and he quickly felt himself being pulled under.

But he welcomed it this time, instead of dreading what unconsciousness would bring, and allowed sweet darkness to envelope him until he knew no more.

…

A sudden weight on the non-injured side of his chest interrupted the powerful male's rest, and he shot up out of reflex to investigate. Breathing heavy and heart pounding, he looked down into his lap, where the weight of whatever had disturbed him now lay.

But all he found staring up at him were two tiny, gold flecked eyes in the dark, ones that mirrored his own almost perfectly, while the owner's baby-sized hands reached up in a playful gesture.

The ape king relaxed and chuckled, finally giving into his youngest son's demands as he reached down and lifted him off his lap.

Cornelius gave out little, breathless rasps as his father pulled him into his chest, nonetheless pleased at the warmth and affection radiating from the older chimp's body. He tried to snuggle further into it, but was interrupted when Caesar suddenly laid back down and pushed him into the air again, the bottoms of his feet coming up to grasp Cornelius' torso while his hands took hold of his tiny arms.

Caesar watched as the infant gave him a confused look and attempted to wiggle out of his father's grip, but stopped his escape attempts after the king began to move him through the air in a back and forth motion. The young prince's puzzled face quickly morphed into glee, and he let out quiet, happy laughs as he was whizzed through the open space.

The king chuckled as he continued the game. It'd been a long time since he'd gotten to play with his children like this, the last one being when Blue Eyes was just a tiny infant himself. Caesar's smile widened on one side, and he gave a sad sigh. It seemed like only yesterday when his eldest was in Cornelius' place, his pale eyes alight with such childlike excitement as his father helped him soar in the air. How he missed those days.

But a quiet hoot tore him from his private thoughts, and he rotated his head to see Rocket standing at the entrance of the royal family's sleeping chambers. The blading chimpanzee was shifting his weight constantly, and he seemed overly anxious about something.

Now growing concerned, Caesar brought Cornelius back to his chest, and ignored the infant's protesting hoots as he rose to his feet and approached his second in command.

" _What's wrong, Rocket?"_ Caesar signed.

" _Have you seen Ash?"_ He asked. " _He's not in the nest, and we can't find him anywhere."_

Only then did Caesar notice Rocket was not alone. Tinker was standing just behind her mate, and she nodded at the king, though she looked far more worried than her husband.

" _No,"_ he responded. " _I haven't-"_

"My love," a feminine voice spoke from behind him, interrupting him mid-sign.

The king turned, and watched as his beloved wife approached him.

" _Ash is missing,"_ he told her. " _Wake Blue Eyes up. He might know where-"_

But he was cut off when Cornelia just shook for her head, and reached for a slightly grumpy Cornelius.

" _That's not necessary,"_ she signed, once her son was comfortable at her breast, and beckoned them to follow her.

Caesar exchanged glances with Rocket and Tinker, but they all obeyed the queen's wishes nonetheless. She led them back to the royal family's nest, and pointed to the far side where Blue Eyes usually slept.

The prince was there, his breathing soft and body relaxed due to his deep sleep. However, what surprised the king was the sight of the missing ape in question, laying on his side and sound asleep with his grey-furred body curled into Blue Eyes' side.

He looked towards Rocket and his wife after he took in the sight, only to see their equally shocked faces in the darkness. Especially his second, who's eyes darted around the cave, as if trying to figure out why he hadn't noticed Ash before.

But, Caesar supposed, there was a pile of sticks and logs in the way, as the king had placed them there so he and Blue Eyes could start constructing an actual nest the next day. It provided a barrier between the eldest prince, his mate, and the entrance, which explained why Rocket hadn't been able to see his son when he entered.

" _It's quite sweet, isn't it?"_ Cornelia remarked, a small smile present on her lips as she gently rocked a relaxing Cornelius.

" _Yes. I suppose it is,"_ Tinker signed, a similar look coming onto her face now that the shock was wearing off.

" _It doesn't matter if it is,"_ Rocket said, and shot his wife a slightly disapproving look. " _They aren't supposed to be sleeping together."_

" _We never said anything about them sleeping in a nest with one another,"_ Cornelia cut in. " _Just that they couldn't be alone together, which they clearly haven't disobeyed."_

" _They shouldn't be sharing a nest. It's inappropriate,"_ Rocket argued.

" _But they've spent the night in each other's huts before, remember?_ " The queen retorted. " _Ash has slept in our nest many times in the past, just as Blue Eyes has slept in yours. What is wrong now?"_

" _They were just friends then. Now that they're more than that, it's not okay for them to do this until they're married."_ Then Rocket looked to his king. " _Right?"_ He questioned.

" _That's true. It is not our way,"_ Caesar started, as he himself believed strongly in their customs. " _But, for once, both of them are soundly asleep,"_ he pointed out, just before he let his eyes meet Rocket's. " _I've been getting worried about Blue Eyes."_

" _We've been worried about Ash, too,"_ Tinker signed. " _What happened during Koba's reign haunts him still."_

Caesar felt a shiver run down his spine at the reminder, alongside a spark of protective rage in his chest, and noticed the others looked immensely uncomfortable as well. Living with those kind of memories, knowing that something like _that_ had nearly happened, couldn't be easy for Ash or Blue Eyes.

" _It seems like Ash is having a harder time dealing with what happened,"_ Rocket finally signed, after a long stretch of stillness from all of them. " _I don't like them doing this. Though, I will admit, I haven't seen Ash that peaceful in a long time."_

" _Nor have we seen Blue Eyes like this, either. It's been days since he's gotten proper rest,"_ Caesar added. " _Perhaps we should make an exception, and let them sleep together."_

" _I think we should,"_ Cornelia agreed. " _I wouldn't mind having Ash in the nest with our son, provided that they don't mate, of course."_

" _And I wouldn't mind if Blue Eyes spent the night with us,"_ Tinker added. " _Especially not if he can help my son sleep at night."_

" _I suppose,"_ Rocket signed.

" _There's no problem with it,"_ Cornelia stated, firmly but gently. " _They aren't doing anything inappropriate, and it isn't healthy for them to be so exhausted everyday, anyway."_

Caesar eyed his second. The burly chimp hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

" _Alright,"_ he consented. " _If Blue Eyes wants to, he can sleep in our nest tomorrow, and Ash can stay in yours the next. We'll switch every night."_

" _That's fine,"_ Caesar signed, while his wife nodded beside him.

" _Okay_ ," Rocket said. Then he turned to look at his son and Blue Eyes one last time, just before he added, " _And I think we should let them sleep in. They both need it."_

" _Agreed,"_ Cornelia signed, and gave Rocket a thankful smile as the king's second and his wife began to take their leave.

" _Send Ash to find us when he wakes up tomorrow,"_ Tinker signed at the last minute.

" _We will,"_ Caesar assured, and shot his second and his wife a light smile as they disappeared into the shadowy corridors.

Once they were alone, the king turned to his queen and reached for her hand. She offered her free palm, still cradling a now sleeping Cornelius to her chest, and allowed Caesar to lead her back to their nest. They both laid down, and she signed a quick " _Goodnight,"_ before she closed her eyes.

"I think it's. Morning now," Caesar said, and eyed the waterfall in front of them. Though the water blocked his view of the outside world, he thought he could see some orange and yellow towards the bottom of the fall, signaling an approaching dawn.

Cornelia's lips twitched, and she let out an amused huff. "Good morning, then," she corrected.

"Good morning," the king responded, and pecked her on the cheek while he settled down and stilled. But just before he closed his eyes, he glanced over at his firstborn and his mate, noting how their bodies seemed to mold into each other, like puzzle pieces meant to go together. And, even though they were deep asleep, small smiles were present on both their lips.

Caesar felt one forming on his own as he took in the sight, but finally turned his head away from the two lovers and closed his eyes. Due to exhaustion from the constant strenuous work and long hours assisting his people, it wasn't long before the king went under.

...

" _Did your parents tell you yet?"_ Ash asked in the form of a greeting, as soon as he noticed the prince approaching his spot within the new village square, which served as a general area for the entire community.

Even at the start, they immediately took notice of the room's large size and easy access to natural light, and within a few days, many were taking advantage of it. Even now, apes of all ages resided within it, some working while others relaxed or played, and the prince did his best to ignore the pointed stares some shot him as he approached the speckled chimp.

So far, most of the community seemed to accept the two young ape's decisions, and some apes offered their support. The others who did not, however, didn't try to protest and accepted the fact that it was their choice to make, especially with Caesar as king once again.

But, as expected, some apes were quite disturbed after hearing the news, and weren't afraid to vocalize their opinions or start spewing insults, regardless of whether or not Ash and Blue Eyes were around to hear it. Thankfully, those apes were only a small minority, and had stopped with the verbal harassment after both Caesar and Rocket had spoken with them. They still glared at the two young chimps, and some even went as far as to grunt in disgust before leaving the room if either entered.

The negative reactions were certainly unpleasant for Blue Eyes and Ash, but they were just glad no one had tried to lash out them. As such, they did their best to keep any affectionate contact in public to the bare minimum, just to be sure they didn't provoke anyone further.

" _Yes, they did,"_ Blue Eyes responded tiredly, and took a seat beside his mate while resisting the urge to lean in for a kiss.

They'd just explained it to him that morning, actually. For the past two weeks, he and Ash were allowed to spend the night in each other's arms. But, after both proved they were capable of sleeping on their own, after retiring to their respective nests in the middle of the day last week, their parents had decided to start weaning them off of it. Neither were happy about their decision, but it was pointless to argue. They both knew from the start that it was a temporary arrangement, after all.

" _This is going to be hard,"_ Ash signed, and reached out to pull the prince a little closer to him. " _I'm so used to sleeping with you."_

" _I know,"_ Blue Eyes said, and lazily threw an arm around Ash's shoulders while he thought about the situation.

That first morning, when they awoke after having slept together, was absolute heaven for both. It was the first night in days that the prince or his mate had gotten a full night's sleep. And, even if they had panicked when they realized how late it was and that the sun hadn't woken them up like they thought it would, Blue Eyes still wished he could relive that morning again.

" _But we can wait until we're married,"_ the prince continued, a light smile forming on his lips. " _After that, we'll sleep together every night."_

Ash considered that for a moment. " _I still don't like this, Blue Eyes."_

" _I don't either. But others don't get to do these things before they're married. Why should we?"_

His mate let out a defeated sigh. " _You have a point."_

Blue Eyes cocked his head. " _What is that?"_ he asked, referring to the book spread out in Ash's lap.

" _Alex gave it to me while they were visiting earlier,"_ his mate answered. He picked up a small wooden pencil (likely another present from their human friend) lying near his crossed legs, and held the tip above the page while he pondered what line he should draw first.

Blue Eyes let out a surprised chuff. " _They were here?"_

" _Yes, while you were out hunting."_

Damn. He always gone or busy when Alex and his parents dropped by. And now that he'd taken up hunting expeditions with the older males, he had even less opportunities to visit when their human friends came around. Ash, on the other hand, didn't go as often as Blue Eyes did, and therefore had more time to dedicate to them and his new drawing hobby.

" _Did they bring me anything?"_ The prince playfully asked.

" _Yes, but I ate it already,"_ Ash replied with a wicked smirk on his face.

"Ash!" Blue Eyes barked, loud enough that it startled a couple of nearby apes. "You did not!"

" _Just kidding,"_ his mate said, and shot the prince a teasing grin. " _I left them in your cave for you."_

" _Them?"_ The prince questioned, and motioned for Ash to go on.

" _Earnings,"_ The speckled chimp clarified. " _But you can't wear them until you quit being a baby and get your ears pierced."_

" _I'm not being a baby, Ash!"_ Blue Eyes protested, while internally wishing he'd never told his mate about wanting to have the procedure done. " _I'm just too busy."_

" _It doesn't take that long."_

" _You and I both know I barely have any time to sit down."_

" _Well you aren't busy now. I'm sure Rose would be happy to pierce them for you."_

Blue Eyes stiffened at the reminder, and his hands fidgeted as he tried to come up with another excuse.

" _Andy says it isn't that bad,"_ Ash went on, and laid a comforting hand on the prince's knee. " _You probably hurt yourself worse hunting, anyway."_

" _That's not what Spear says,"_ Blue Eyes finally shot back.

" _Spear was just trying to scare you, and you know it."_

" _No he wasn't. He was very serious-"_

"Hello, Blue Eyes," came a pleasant, light toned voice.

The two halted their conversation, and turned towards the adolescent ape who approached them.

"Hello Ash," she greeted, the bones beside her head clicking slightly as she made a move to sit with them.

"Lake," Blue Eyes said, and smiled at his old friend. He hadn't seen much of her lately, though he figured she was busy with her own duties, just as he was with his.

" _What are you two doing?"_ She asked.

" _Nothing,"_ Ash answered, before he leveled a teasing look at Blue Eyes. " _Just talking about how the prince here is scared of a little piercing."_

" _Shut up, Ash!"_ Blue Eyes shot back.

Lake laughed at that, though it didn't seem like she was making fun of him.

" _I was scared, too,"_ she offered, and gestured to the many she had in both her ears. " _It's only a little pinch, then it's all over."_

" _Maybe you should go with him and hold his hand,"_ Ash suggested.

Blue Eyes shot him a half-hearted glare, to which the speckled chimp just sniggered. The prince rolled his eyes and focused his attention on Lake, just so he could ignore his mate's teasing looks.

But, as he took the female chimp in, he noticed how her face took on a more serious tone, and her playful aura suddenly dropped.

" _This has been fun, but I was actually wondering if I could talk to you, Blue Eyes. Alone."_

The prince sobered up at the request, as did his surprised mate. Ash blinked twice, and observed the serious look on the female chimp before he nodded and motioned for Blue Eyes to go with Lake.

" _It's fine,"_ he assured the prince. " _I'll wait here for you."_

Blue Eyes stared at him for a moment longer, but eventually nodded and turned to Lake. The female gave him a small smile, and rose to her feet as she started to turn away. Blue Eyes mimicked her, and trailed along as the female led him away from the common area.

…

By the time Lake stopped and turned towards him again, the two young adolescents were outside the caves and well beyond any gorilla guard's line of sight, standing in the middle of a thicket of trees and plants, shielding them both from view. He expected the female to sign something, but she just stared at him.

Suddenly, even though Blue Eyes didn't fear the petite female, he couldn't help but grow nervous. Whatever it was Lake wanted, it had to be important, else she wouldn't have taken him all the way out here.

" _Is something wrong?"_ He finally asked, after a few long seconds of him and Lake having a staring contest passed.

" _No. I just wanted to talk to you."_ Lake said, repeating her words from earlier.

" _About what?"_ Blue Eyes asked.

" _How are you doing?"_

The prince blinked, as the question took him surprise. He didn't respond right away, and watched as Lake played with her hands whilst keeping her head down, refusing to look him in the eye but making sure she could still see his signs.

Had she really taken him this far only to ask him that? Was she that worried about him?

" _Fine,"_ he finally answered. " _Things are different now, especially with everyone knowing about Ash and I, but no one has caused any problems."_

" _That's good,"_ Lake responded, but continued with her fidgeting.

When she didn't ask another question, Blue Eyes used the stillness to his advantage and studied her further. He watched as she kept dodging his inquisitive gaze, and started shifting her weight from foot to foot, as if she was a hyperactive white tail that couldn't keep still, all while she was still twisting her fingers together.

A few seconds was all he needed to take everything in, and a moment more before he realized Lake hadn't even asked whatever it was she wanted; that she was just buying time while she worked up the nerve to sign it.

"Lake," he finally spoke, causing the young female to raise her head slightly. " _Why did you bring me out here? What do you want, really?"_

She was watching him closely now, and Blue Eyes was careful to present himself in a relaxed fashion, so Lake wouldn't think he was becoming impatient or angry.

" _A lot of apes our age are talking about you and Ash, "_ she finally said. But, when Blue Eyes tried to answer, Lake cut him off to sign, " _And...about you and me."_

Whatever the prince was going to respond with evaporated into thin air. He hadn't been expecting...that, as he hadn't seen anyone talking about him and Lake.

" _What about you and I?"_ He questioned.

" _Not everyone says this,"_ she admitted. " _But some apes are claiming that I'm angry with you, because you choose Ash instead of...Instead of me."_

Blue Eyes felt his entire body go stiff, his blood going cold and causing his muscles to lock up.

 _Perhaps Lake hadn't been too busy to visit you and Ash after all,_ a stray thought echoed in his mind.

" _But you're not angry,"_ Blue Eyes signed. When she didn't answer right away, he felt a lump forming in his throat. " _Are you?"_

" _No! Of course not!"_ Lake explosively signed. " _I could never be mad at you for that! I just…"_

" _Are you sure?"_ Blue Eyes asked calmly, despite his inner anxiety. " _I know you're interested in me, and you haven't been around me or Ash lately."_

Lake's head finally shot up, and her surprised, red rimmed eyes met his. " _How did you know that!?"_

" _I've known for a long time, now,"_ he said. " _On the night we decided to be together,_ _Ash told me about how you were always staring at me. He said you did that when I wasn't looking. I figured that was why."_

Lake blinked, and her head lowered a little. Tears were starting to form in her eyes.

" _I did have feelings for you,"_ she admitted. " _And I still do, but I...I didn't want you to think I was angry or upset with you. I just-"_

She didn't get to finish her sentence, because Blue Eyes closed the distance between them and took the distraught female into his arms. Lake's body went taunt with shock, but she quickly relaxed and allowed herself to lean into the prince.

"I do not. Think that," Blue Eyes assured her. The female's demeanor was enough to convince him that anything those other apes were talking about were nothing but rumors. "Know that. You aren't. Angry."

Lake just whimpered, and buried her face in his shoulder. The prince let out quiet pant-hoots, and stroked the female's back to comfort her. He allowed her to stay for as long as she needed, and only dropped his arms when she made the move to step back.

" _Thank you, Blue Eyes,"_ she signed _,_ and shot him an appreciative smile just before she sniffled. " _I was scared that you would hear that, and you wouldn't want to be around me. Even if we aren't together, I still want to be friends."_

Blue Eyes smiled back. " _I'd like that,"_ he assured her. " _But I am sorry, Lake."_

" _For what?"_

" _All of this. It can't be easy watching me and Ash together."_

" _It isn't,"_ Lake said. " _But I care more about your happiness then being with you. If you want someone else, then I won't interfere."_

Blue Eyes smiled. " _Thank you, Lake."_

She nodded at him. " _Of course, Blue Eyes,"_ she said. " _But tell Ash that he'd better take good care of you, or I'll have a few words for him."_

Blue Eyes let out a hearty laugh, and shot the female chimp a wide grin when he was done. " _I know Ash will, but I'll let him know that anyway."_

Lake chuckled at his statement, and after Blue Eyes made sure there wasn't anything else she wanted to discuss, she followed him out the clearing and allowed him to escort her back to the colony.

…

The mood later that night was peaceful, the air surrounding him warm and inviting as he lay against the dark pelts beneath him and panted. Whilst there, he watched the beautiful ape above him, emerald eyes nearly glowing in the low light with his dark skin flushed and giving off a significant amount of heat. He could feel his own skin, far paler than that of his mate's, doing the same, and he reached up to pull the speckled chimp's heated forehead against his.

Ash looked deep into his eyes, and allowed Blue Eyes to see the intense longing within them before he focused his gaze on other parts of the prince's face. Blue Eyes nearly shuddered when it stopped on his mouth, lips still swollen and wet from their kissing moments before. They'd been going at it for quite a while, and had paused for a tiny break. But the prince was ready for more now, and it only took a soft, desperate, "Please," spoken into the little space left between them for Ash to lean in and kiss him again.

Blue Eyes moaned, the sound vibrating within his chest as he tightened his grip on the speckled chimp's broad shoulders and pulled their already snug bodies tighter together. Ash let out an appreciative purr, and parted his lips to stroke the prince's with his tongue, only for Blue Eyes to open his mouth and allow him inside. The wet flesh of their tongue's touched a moment later, and both released muffled groans and gasps as they began to wrestle with each other.

"Boys," a soft, feminine voice called.

The two stopped immediately, their eyes opening as they parted and glanced behind them, though Tinker just gave the young apes a look.

" _Slow it down a little,"_ she told them, though the elder female was already turning her attention away as she went back to her weaving. " _It's almost time for Blue Eyes to leave."_

Ash gave his mother a sheepish smile, but nodded before he rolled off his mate and laid beside him on the pelts.

" _So, other apes are talking, then?"_ Ash asked.

" _Only some, according to Lake,"_ Blue Eyes reminded Ash, as he had told his mate about what happened between him and the female chimpanzee earlier. " _But we expected that."_

Ash nodded. " _Indeed we did. At least we can handle that."_

"' _Just ignore it, and it'll stop',"_ Blue Eyes added, nodding as he repeated what they'd told each other soon after settling down in their new home. " _They'll get used to us, and the rumors will calm down."_

Ash tilted his head, and leaned closer to Blue Eyes. At first, the prince thought his mate would kiss him again, but Ash only reached out and pulled their foreheads together.

His white flecked mouth twitched into a small smile. " _This is nice_."

" _It is,"_ Blue Eyes agreed. " _I've always enjoyed my time with you."_

The speckled chimp's light grin grew wider on one side, and he raised his hand to sign again, but they were both interrupted by little taps on their shoulders.

It was Rocket who stood over them this time, and he raised a stern brow when Ash shot him a pleading stare.

" _It's getting late, Blue Eyes,"_ the blading chimpanzee signed. " _You should go back to your own nest and get some sleep."_

The prince let out an irritated huff, but nodded nonetheless and scooted off the furry pelts. Ash did the same, and followed him to the entrance of his home before giving his mate one last kiss on the lips.

" _Now comes the hard part,"_ Ash signed once they'd separated.

Blue Eyes just smiled, though he hated this as much as Ash did. " _I love you."_

" _I love you, too,"_ Ash signed back. " _Goodnight."_

" _See you tomorrow_ ," The prince signed. His mate nodded, then gently brushed their knuckles together before he went back to his nest. Blue Eyes watched him go for a moment, and quickly waved goodbye to Tinker and Rocket before he departed.

 _It's only a few more years,_ he told himself, whilst he did his best to force down the negative buzzing in his chest. He missed Ash already, and tonight was only the first they'd sleep away from one another. As much as he wanted to turn back, he forced his legs to keep carrying him down the stony hallway and towards his family's dwelling. Already, he knew this wasn't going to be easy.

 _Just a few more years,_ he mentally repeated, as he entered his home and crossed the cavern. _After that, he's yours forever._

The thought had him smiling, and he did his best to focus on the future, imagining his life after he and Ash were bound together. It comforted him, and gave him the strength to ignore the strong desires in his chest while he lay alone in his own nest, though his father, mother, and brother would be returning soon.

 _Forever,_ he promised himself one last time, just before he closed his eyes.


End file.
